


Secret Desires and Nameless Fears

by LorelaiSquared



Series: Good Things Come in Threes [1]
Category: Gilmore Girls
Genre: F/M, Family, Gen, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-11-16
Updated: 2008-11-15
Packaged: 2017-10-23 15:10:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 35,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/251751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LorelaiSquared/pseuds/LorelaiSquared
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p><b>Authors' Notes:</b> This began as a way to get over my writers' block on <i>TippeGypsyDoo</i> and, as seems to be my pattern, has evolved into much more. I hope you enjoy this little trip down fantasy lane.</p>
    </blockquote>





	1. Careless

**Author's Note:**

> **Authors' Notes:** This began as a way to get over my writers' block on _TippeGypsyDoo_ and, as seems to be my pattern, has evolved into much more. I hope you enjoy this little trip down fantasy lane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Authors' Notes:** This began as a way to get over my writers' block on _TippeGypsyDoo_ and, as seems to be my pattern, has evolved into much more. I hope you enjoy this little trip down fantasy lane.
> 
> Thank you to **Jewels** , **Boom** and the gang for the writing sessions – they helped so much. This story wouldn't exist without your support and encouragement.
> 
> An extra special shout out to **Jewels12** for not only, putting up with my inability to master the comma, but also, saving me with her brilliant pop culture references, title recommendations and summary repairs.

**Careless**

Lorelai groaned as she opened her eye and promptly shut it again. The blinding light streaming in from the window made her head pound. Beside her, Luke stirred, then stilled. She took a deep breath and tried to move again, this time she ignored the pounding in her head. She pulled the sheet off the bed, and wrapped it around herself leaving Luke asleep and completely exposed. She smiled slightly as she gazed at him, but quickly winced as the motion set off the hammers in her scull. She reluctantly turned away from him and stumbled to the bathroom.

After emptying her bladder, she washed her hands and splashed cool water on her face, trying to wake herself up. She gazed at herself in the mirror for a moment examining her red eyes and mussed hair. She smiled as she remembered the events of the evening before… _Luke is such an amazing lover_ she thought to herself, smiling.

They had had a great time at the party and she had urged Luke on as he ranted about NYC. By the time they got back to Stars Hollow they were in a frenzy of lust, urged on by alcohol. And they'd been in such a hurry to get to the bed, bursting through the door to Luke's apartment in a flurry of frantic kisses and flying fabric. She gasped suddenly as she realized that in their haste to be with each other they had forgotten to take certain precautions.

Lorelai quickly grabbed the cosmetic bag she kept in Luke's bathroom and rummaged through it until she found the little plastic container that held her birth control pills. She did a quick count and then sat down on the toilet seat and buried her head in her hands muttering, "Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap."

Lorelai took a deep breath, and tried to calm down and think rationally. _Okay, so I seem to have missed a few doses, and we weren't careful last night, but that doesn't mean I'm pregnant or anything, just that I need to be more careful_. She jumped as she heard the alarm clock go off in the other room followed by a fumbling sound that must have been Luke turning it off.

"Oh God," she murmured to herself, burying her face in her hands again. _What if I am pregnant? What will Luke think? We're so not ready for this, we just got back together, he doesn't like kids, they have jam hands, and they cry, and he thinks nursing is disgusting, but he'd be such a good father, I mean, look at how good he is to Rory, and we'd make a beautiful baby and…_ ' she trailed off from her internal rambling as she lost control and started sobbing. Huge tears rolled down her cheeks as she pictured Luke with a beautiful dark haired, blue-eyed baby wrapped in flannel. Her shoulders shook with anguish as she began to realize how much she wanted to have a baby with Luke, and how afraid she was that he wouldn't want this baby.

"Lorelai?" She frantically wiped the tears away as Luke knocked softly on the door. "Are you in there? Let me in."

Lorelai hopped off the toilet and splashed water on her face to try and hide the evidence of her tears as she called, "Just a minute, hon."

She quickly inspected herself in the mirror, and deciding she looked okay, plastered a fake smile on her face and swung open the door. "Morning, babe." She leaned up to kiss him lightly on the lips. "Bathroom's all yours." She moved aside so he could enter, and began to gather her clothes.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him casually as she pulled a pair of pink lacy panties off the TV and slid them on.

"I feel like I was hit by a truck," Luke moaned. "What the hell happened last night?"

"You mean you don't remember?" Lorelai smiled despite the inner turmoil she was still experiencing and called, "You realize I will mock you for this, right? I never thought I'd see the day when Luke Danes would get too drunk to remember his actions the next morning."

"I remember some things," he growled suggestively as he emerged from the bathroom.

He walked toward her, his blue eyes fixed on hers as he approached. He touched her chin gently, as he leaned in to kiss her. As their lips met, Lorelai sighed softly and leaned into him, opening for him as her worries melted away. She brought her hands around to his back and pulled him close, his bare chest enveloping her as he deepened the kiss, his tongue entwining with hers in a delicate dance. Luke moaned her name as they finally pulled apart, both of them gasping for air. Luke leaned his head on her forehead as his hands grazed her back lightly. He gazed at her carefully, and the heat in his eyes faded slightly to be replaced with concern.

"Lorelai," he spoke quietly and raised one hand to her cheek, tracing a faint tearstain. "Were you crying?"

Lorelai looked away, avoiding eye contact, her jumbled feelings from earlier returning full force.

"Lorelai?" Luke's voice was tender as he watched her, his worry growing.

Her eyes began to brim with tears again and she wiped them away furiously. "It's nothing," she said, trying to shrug it off.

Before she could turn away, Luke gently grasped her chin and raised her head until she was looking at him. "Tell me what's bothering you."

Lorelai shook her head. "It's silly."

"If it has you this upset then it's not silly." Luke lead her to couch, he sat down then pulled her into his lap, wrapping his strong arms around her protectively. "Now, tell me what's going on."

Lorelai took a deep breath and snuggled against Luke, resting her head comfortably against his shoulders. "Things have been so busy lately that I've been forgetting to take my pill regularly," she whispered.

Luke frowned. "Your pill?" He looked at her quizzically before realization dawned. "Oh."

Lorelai studied his face, trying to judge his reaction. His jaw was set but his eyes were blank, giving nothing away. She began to fidget with her hair, twirling it around her finger nervously as she continued, "And last night… well… we weren't very careful when we were… you know… primordial." She gestured to the rumpled bed.

Luke nodded to indicate that he understood, then looked at her silently, waiting for her to continue.

She buried her head into his chest, muffling her voice as she blurted, "What if our carelessness has unexpected consequences, Luke?"

Luke frowned down at her, and tilted her face so she was looking at him. "Is that why you're so upset? You're worried that you could be pregnant?" At Lorelai's nod, he continued, tension creeping into his voice, "Do you not want another baby?"

"No…yes, I mean, it's not that. It's just…" Lorelai trailed off, uncertain of how to explain her mixed emotions to Luke. She sat up and turned to face him, taking a deep breath before trying again. "When I was in the bathroom earlier, and I realized what we'd done, I felt so confused, Luke. I started wondering what you would think and I worried that you wouldn't want a baby around because of jam hands and breast feeding, and then suddenly I realized that I was hoping that I _was_ pregnant because the truth is I'd love to have another baby, and I'd love even more to have one with you." She looked up at him, her eyes wide and expectant as she waited for him to respond.

Luke sat unmoving, his hands in his lap, his eyes staring straight in front of him. Lorelai held her breath, her heart pounding rapidly as she nervously waited for him to speak.

A moment later, Luke took a deep breath and started to say something, just as Lorelai's cell phone rang, startling them both as the dulcet tones of Sean Paul's 'We Be Burnin' filled the room. Lorelai reluctantly slid off Luke's lap and scurried across the room to answer her phone.

"Mom?" came Rory's frantic voice, "Mom, where are you? It's noon, we have to decorate for Sookie's baby shower."

Lorelai cursed silently, and sighed. "Sorry, Babe, I got… um… side tracked. I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Okay, Mom. Hurry. She could wake up any time."

"I'm on my way." Lorelai hung up the phone and looked longingly at Luke.

"You have to go." Luke's voice was steady and even, emotionless. Lorelai wished more than ever that she had time to figure out what was going on in his head.

"Yeah, Sookie's baby shower." She approached him cautiously and caressed his cheek gently with her right hand. "I'm sorry, we'll have to continue this conversation later. Will you be okay?"

Luke tried to smile. "I'm fine Lorelai, we'll discuss this later." he took her hand from his cheek and squeezed it gently, trying to assure her that things would be okay. He tugged gently, pulling her close and touching his lips to hers in a reassuring kiss.

After a moment, she pulled away, picked up her purse from the coffee table and reluctantly walked out the door. She glanced at Luke one last time as she closed the door and tried desperately to ignore the cacophony of screaming thoughts that were monopolizing her brain.

xxxxx

Lorelai pulled up in front of the Bellville residence a few minutes later and was greeted by a very pale and frantic Rory.

She hurriedly climbed out of the jeep and rushed over to her daughter. "Rory? What's wrong?"

Rory sat down on the bottom step, buried her face in her hands, and mumbled, "It's coming 'round the mountain."

Lorelai blinked in confusion, trying to figure out what Rory was talking about. "Coming 'round the what now?"

"Jackson and Sookie came tearing out of the house just after I talked to you and said that the baby 'is coming 'round the mountain.'" Rory looked up at her mother and crinkled her nose in disgust. "That image is going to haunt me for the rest of my life. I'm never having babies."

Lorelai grinned, taking perverse pleasure in her daughter's obvious discomfort with the miracle of life. "Aww, sweets, you'll change your mind eventually. It's not so bad."

Rory raised her eyebrow sceptically. "Crate of dynamite. Remember?"

Lorelai just laughed and said, "So what you're saying is that Sookie is in labour."

Rory closed her eyes trying desperately to block out the image. "Yes, they left for the hospital about 5 minutes ago."

"Well what are we waiting for? Get in the Jeep, let's go!"

Rory's eyes widened in panic as she frantically shook her head. "Uh uh. No way am I going, I'd rather watch a 'Mighty Ducks' marathon."

Lorelai snorted and patted her daughter on the shoulder. "It's okay, hon. I won't make you come. Gigi's birth was enough trauma for your delicate sensibilities. Go back to Yale to study and I'll call you with the news."

The tension flooded out of Rory's body as she sighed in relief. "Really? Oh thank god. I love you, mom!" She flung her arms around Lorelai giving her a huge hug and dashed to her car before Lorelai could change her mind.

Lorelai watched as Rory sped off down the lane and turned out of sight after the town square. Then Lorelai climbed into the Jeep and drove toward the hospital. She stopped at the red light outside the diner on her way out of town and sighed, her tension over their earlier conversation returning. When the light turned green, she gave the diner one last glance; yearning to go in, and force Luke to talk to her about the baby thing. Instead, she mentally shoved her bleak thoughts to the side and hit the accelerator, speeding off to the hospital to welcome No Name Baby Bellville into the world.

 _TBC_


	2. Careless

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: First of all I sincerely apologize for the delay in posting this chapter. RL responsibilities like report cards and birthday stories for certain people got in the way of writing it. Don't worry, I do not intend to keep you waiting for two weeks for an update again! Thanks for understanding!
> 
> I'd like to thank people in the writing sessions for their feedback and support. You all help make me a better writer.
> 
> Jewels, my beta-extraordinaire, I throw flowers at your feet for all the things you do for me on a daily basis. Thank you for never failing to make me laugh.

**Disconnected**

Luke watched as Lorelai's jeep stopped outside the diner. He saw her glance at the diner longingly several times before she sped off, and it took every ounce of his control not to run to her, take her in his arms and finish their earlier conversation.

He hated the tension that he could feel between them. Hated that he'd put it there, that he hadn't had the chance to voice his thoughts before she was called away. He had been stunned at the emotion she'd shared with him that morning. He could understand her mixed feelings and he completely understood her intense desire to have their baby because he felt exactly the same way. He just didn't know how to express it without scaring her.

He'd been dreaming about having a child with Lorelai almost since the day they'd met 9 years ago. Since then, he'd been haunted by dreams of a nameless child with brilliant blue eyes and dark, curly hair. Sometimes the child was a girl and sometimes it was a boy, but in every version of the dream the baby was always perfect and always the most beautiful creature in the world. He already held a special spot in his heart for this unknown child. This morning he had been overwhelmed with love as images from his dreams flooded his mind and took shape more vividly than they ever had before. For the first time, he realized just how close he was to having those dreams become a reality. He was yearning to hold their infant in his arms, to protect a life created with the woman he loved more than anyone in the universe.

Luke stood in a daze behind the counter, stuck in his thoughts of love and babies, as chaos erupted around him. It wasn't until Kirk came behind the counter to grab the coffee pot and bumped into him, that Luke was finally pulled out of his reverie.

"Kirk," he bellowed, channelling all his frustrations into that one word.

Kirk jumped a mile, splashing hot coffee all over the floor. "Hot," he yowled as he set down the coffee pot and started hopping around in pain at the tiny splash of liquid that had landed on his finger.

Luke sighed, "Kirk, calm down before you slip on the coffee." He grabbed Kirk's arm and led him out from behind the counter and to a table in the centre of the diner.

Once Kirk was safely seated, Luke let his anger go and shouted, "What the hell were you doing behind the counter, Kirk?"

"I was getting coffee." Kirk shrugged. "Lorelai does it all the time."

Luke grunted. "That's different."

"Oh, so only people you are sleeping with are allowed behind the counter?" Kirk pulled out a notebook and began to write. "Interesting…"

Luke rolled his eyes. "What is that?"

"I'm documenting your rules so that I can be sure to behave according to proper 'Luke' educate." As he spoke, Kirk wrote: _Must sleep with the proprietor to receive behind the counter privileges. Is Luke Kirk's type? Kirk is not sure. Kirk will have to ask himself and get back to yo—_

"Stop that!" Luke frowned as he read Kirk's words.

"I'm just-"

"Stay away from my counter, Kirk." Luke stormed back to the counter to clean up the coffee mess. "And close that stupid notebook," he added, as Kirk started writing again.

Kirk quickly obliged and eyed Luke wearily as he began to peruse the menu.

XXXXX

Lorelai rushed through the hospital doors and sped to the reception desk.

"Belleville? I'm looking for the Bellevilles. They're having a baby." She was practically bouncing as she spoke to the nurse at the desk.

"Um…" the nurse typed something into her computer before looking up and saying, "They're on the third floor, room 312."

Lorelai smiled. "Thanks."

She sped off toward the elevators, eager to get to her friend. She was running down the corridor when something caught her eye. She stopped suddenly, gazing at the vending machine, her stomach growling at her as she studied the contents through the glass. She contemplated chips, and chocolate before she spotted a shiny green apple and suddenly craved it. Without questioning the oddity of it, she dug change out of her pocket and purchased the apple before resuming her race to the elevators.

As she stepped off the elevator and searched for Sookie's room, she took a big bite of the apple. She chewed silently, clueing in to the fact that she was eating a fruit. She stopped dead in her tracks and glared at the apple, as though it were a mortal enemy. _Why am I eating fruit? Fruit is healthy, I hate healthy. I eat chocolate and licorice and popcorn. I do not eat apples…_ She took another step forward before pausing again. _Oh my god. I AM pregnant. I have to be, the last time I ate fruit voluntarily was when I was 16 and pregnant with Rory._

Lorelai's heart began to beat wildly as she replayed her earlier conversation with Luke in her head. She still didn't know what he thought about the baby possibility and it was driving her crazy. Here she was, eating fruit, something that, in her case, pretty much confirmed pregnancy, and she had no idea what Luke's thoughts were on having a kid.

She stood like a statue in the hospital hallway for several moments before Jackson emerged from a room down the hall. "Lorelai!" he enthused, causing her to jump a foot and nearly lose her grip on the apple.

"Jackson!" she shouted back, "How's Sookie?" She took another bite of the apple and meandered over to him, willing her heart rate to return to a normal rhythm.

"See for yourself." He gestured for her to enter the room. Sookie was tucked into a hospital bed, her head propped up on pillows. She had a huge grin on her face as she spotted her best friend.

"Lorelai, you made it!" Sookie gushed, "I'm so happy you're here. You're pretty, you know that? And you look kind of like Lucile Ball… OH… NO… make that Natalie Wood. Hi, Natalie."

Lorelai looked at Sookie in wonderment as she continued to prattle on deliriously. "What's wrong with her?"

"Oh, the nurse gave her something for the pain, it makes her kind of loopy. She keeps thinking she's seeing famous people." Jackson explained.

Lorelai nodded her understanding and took another bite of the apple. She chewed it thoughtfully as she half-listened to Sookie's babble about which nurses looked like celebrities. She knew that it was unlikely that their one night of carelessness had caused a pregnancy, but the desire for health foods had caused her brain to start whirring again. She thought back to her internal tirade in the bathroom that morning. By her count, she hadn't been taking her pills regularly for almost three months now. Between her schedule at the inn, her break-up and make-up with Luke, the ongoing tension between her and her mother and the stress she was feeling over the things she'd said about her mother for the upcoming article about the Dragonfly, she'd become lax about taking her pills.

 _Damn!_ she screamed in her head. _How could I have been so careless? Luke and I have been back together for almost 4 months now, and we've had sex. A lot of sex in that time. I really COULD be pregnant. Oh God._ Lorelai's face went white and the apple slid from her hand landing on the floor with a solid thud before it rolled under the bed. By this time, Sookie had drifted off to sleep and Jackson was nowhere to be seen, so Lorelai stood up and began pacing, her heart pumping frantically as the voices is her head took up their diatribe.

Unable to stand staring at Sookie's swollen belly any longer, and finding herself almost deaf from the shouting in her head, Lorelai fled from the room and pulled out her cell phone.

She ducked behind a wall near the nurse's station and quickly punched in the number to the diner. She hit send and pressed the phone to her ear, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited to hear it ring. When she heard a busy signal instead, she screamed in frustration and slammed the phone closed.

She needed to talk to Luke. If she could just hear his thoughts on the subject she knew that she would feel better about the situation. Regardless of whether she was pregnant or not, she really wanted and needed him by her side through this.

She waited a minute before trying the diner again. When she got yet another busy signal, she fought the urge to throw her phone on the floor. _Luke's is never busy._ _Why now? Why?_ she wailed internally as she blinked away the tears of frustration that had formed in her eyes. She stuffed her phone in her jeans pocket, and turned back toward Sookie's room, deciding that she would try Luke again later.

xxxx

"Say that name again?" Luke's voice was rife with unshed tension as he glared at Taylor through the connecting window between the diner and the soda shop.

On the other end of the phone, Taylor sighed audibly before glancing around to make sure he wasn't going to be overheard. "It's Kirk, Luke. The Stars Hollow citizen with deep pockets is Kirk."

"I'll talk to you later." Luke slammed down the phone and stormed over to the table in the corner where Kirk was sitting. As he approached Kirk, his mind was buzzing. He couldn't believe that Kirk had put in an offer on the Twickham house. _Where the hell did Kirk get a quarter of a million dollars?_ Luke ranted to himself. _And who does he think he is? How dare he put an offer in on that house? It's ours, damn it._ _Mine and Lorelai's. Kirk can't have it!_

Luke arrived at Kirk's table and began shouting at him. He knew he was causing a scene but he didn't care. This was his future he was fighting for and there was no way he was going to let Kirk of all people take it away from him.

Halfway through their argument Luke realized the futility of the whole thing. He was just wasting his time by yelling at Kirk; it was getting him nowhere but angry. He should be yelling at Taylor. Luke smiled at the thought. Yes, he was ready to yell at Taylor. The past few weeks of forced pleasantries had been killing him and now he was livid. He could see his dream crashing down around him and he didn't like it.

Luke stomped out of the diner and into the Soda Shop, where Taylor was behind the counter. It felt good to shout at Taylor. He felt some of the tension from his earlier conversation with Lorelai leave him, as he demanded that Taylor set up a meeting with the Town Elders. He spun on his heels and marched back to the diner, satisfied that he'd done all he could for now. _I WILL own that house,_ he thought, as he pictured it filled with miniature versions of him and Lorelai. _It WILL be ours._ A smile teased his lips as he entered the diner. _Our house for OUR family._

He really liked the sound of that.

xxxx

Later that afternoon, Lorelai stood near the nurse's station again, pacing as she waited anxiously for news about Sookie. Sookie was now in full labour and she'd decided to give her and Jackson some privacy.

She pulled her phone out of her pocket and frowned at the lack of activity. She'd tried calling Luke again, but Caesar had told her that Luke had taken the afternoon off. She was still confused by this. Luke hadn't mentioned that he was taking time off. So she'd called his apartment and nothing. She'd left him 3 messages, and still nothing. She was starting to get antsy and all the babies that surrounded her were making her more anxious about her current predicament. _I need to talk to Luke, damn it!_ she screamed silently. _Where the hell is he?_

She began to pace again and nearly landed on her face as she smacked into a passing Doctor.

The Doctor caught her arm and managed to keep her upright. She smiled appreciatively. "Thanks Dr. ... Hooper." She said with a quick glance at his nametag.

"No problem, Miss." He returned her smile and turned to leave.

After pondering her choice for only a second, Lorelai called after him. "Wait! Um… You're not off to save a life are you?"

Dr. Hooper chuckled softly. "Not at the moment."

Lorelai breathed a sigh of relief and began to question him about pregnancy tests and processes. She babbled on about timing, missed pills, and fruit. Dr. Hooper patiently listened to her verbal diarrhea for a moment before interjecting, "While in your case, eating fruit could indicate something, it's certainly not conclusive evidence. When did you last have your period?"

Lorelai pursed her lips tightly as she thought. When _had_ she last had a period? She honestly couldn't remember. She gasped audibly, causing the doctor to look up at her, awaiting her answer. "I'm actually not sure," she finally replied.

"Hmm." Dr. Hooper glanced at his watch. "I have some spare time right now, why don't you come with me and we'll run one of those pregnancy tests we were just talking about."

He was already half way down the hall before Lorelai finished processing his words and raced after him. She felt numb. Her brain was on overload, and though her heart was already swelling with love for the potential baby that could be growing inside of her, she refused to allow herself to get excited.

 _Luke should be here,_ she thought longingly as she blindly followed the Doctor to the end of a long hallway. She pulled out her phone and tried one last time to reach him. When that attempt failed, as all the others had, she sighed and followed the Doctor into his office.

TBC


	3. Tormented

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: As promised I'm posting another update pretty quickly. It might be a bit longer until Chapter 4 comes along though because I have 3 other stories I need to work on and some of them have deadlines coming up pretty quickly.
> 
> I'd like to thank Jewels, the best beta in universe for her attention to detail and her inability to overlook even the most minor of errors.

**Tormented**

"A girl? Oh good, we need a girl! What did they name her?" Rory pressed the phone to her ear with her shoulder and grabbed a pile of folders off her desk. She stepped out of her cubicle at the Stamford Eagle Gazette and started to head toward conference room 2 as her mother rattled off the name.

Rory stopped in her tracks as Lorelai continued to list names. "Wait. She has how many names?"

"Ten," Lorelai replied from her end.

"They are aware that Ethan, Rupert, Carson and Danny are boys' names, right?" Rory asked sceptically as she resumed walking and entered the empty conference room.

Lorelai passed another hospital vending machine. She spotted a banana and gave into the unexpected desire without thinking. "Yes, they know."

"Crazy. That poor kid will be 15 before she can write her full name. Poor Martha." Rory placed a folder at each chair.

"I know! But Sookie is happy, so I'm happy." Lorelai took a bite of the banana and made a face. She tried not to gag while she swallowed and promptly tossed the rest of the banana into the trash. She was still waiting to hear back from the doctor about the pregnancy test and it was driving her crazy.

She chewed her nails anxiously as Rory changed the subject and began babbling about her upcoming staff meeting and her hopes for an internship that summer. Lorelai tried to stay focused on Rory, but her thoughts kept drifting to Luke and her continued inability to reach him.

Lorelai stifled a scream as someone gently taped her on the shoulder. Jackson was standing behind her gesturing for her to follow him.

"Uh, hon," Lorelai interrupted Rory, just as she'd launched into a description of the merits of her filing systems. "I have to go. Have a good meeting and I'll see you at Grandma's tonight."

"Oh, okay mom." Rory looked up to see Mitchum Huntzburger enter the room, set his briefcase on the table and nod in greeting to her as he lowered himself into the chair at the head of the table. "I've gotta go too."

"Bye babe." Lorelai followed Jackson out of the waiting room and down the hall to Sookie's room.

"Bye mom." Rory hung up the phone and shoved it in her pocket. "Sorry, that was my mom," she said to Mitchum as she placed the final folder on the table in front of him.

He shrugged and picked up the folder. "No need to apologize. You've still got ten minutes."

While Mitchum pulled out his laptop and prepared for the meeting, Rory sat down and made some notes on her most recent article for the Yale Daily News. A few minutes later, people began to file in, looking only mildly frightened by the fact that Mitchum had beaten them there.

Rory observed the meeting silently as she took the minutes. She envied the easy banter and interplay between the staff. She really wished that one day she would have the opportunity to work on a staff like this one. _If I get that internship, then I will get to work on a staff like this,_ she thought to herself, smiling.

The meeting seemed to zoom by, and before she knew it, it was over. Everyone else exited the room and she was left alone with Mitchum. As she began to gather her things he said, "You know, you and I haven't really sat down and talked about the situation, about how you're doing here and all."

Rory's pulse quickened as nervous energy pulsed through her body. "Well, you've been busy."

Mitchum set his briefcase back on the table. "I've meant to. Offered you the job, took you under my wing. It's part of the deal."

Rory's mind took off, worrying about every possible negative thing Mitchum could say about her. He was the best in this business and she had tried hard to make a good impression. _I guess I'll find out now if I was successful,_ she thought as she fiddled with the buckle on her bag. "Great. I'd love your feedback," she said aloud.

Mitchum lowered himself into his chair and leaned back. He gestured to the chair across from him. "Go on and sit."

Rory pulled out her notebook and a pen before she sat in the chair and raised her pen, ready to take down the suggestions he was sure to offer.

Mitchum leaned back further and casually rested his feet on the edge of the table. "I've worked with a lot of young people over the years. Interns, new hires. I've got a pretty good gut sense for people's strengths and weaknesses. Whether they have that certain something to make it in journalism. It's a tough business. Lots of stress."

Rory tried to relax, and forced herself to smile. "Definitely."

Mitchum clasped his hands together and set them in his lap. "And I have to tell you. You don't got it." He said it calmly, as though it wasn't a big deal. As though he hadn't just sent her whole world crashing down around her.

Rory felt like she had been punched in the stomach and all the air had been forced out of her lungs. She felt numb. _I don't have it?_ she thought. _What does that mean?_

She tried to focus as Mitchum elaborated. She even responded, but she didn't feel like she was actually there anymore. It was like her mind had been disconnected from her body and she was just going through the motions. She heard herself as she tried to defend her silence during the meeting, and highlighted some of the work she'd done, but it was as though someone else were speaking for her.

While her physical body participated in the conversation, her brain continued to fixate on Mitchum's first comment. _How could he say such a thing?_ she raged. _I've been working toward this my whole life, I know I can do this. I've done it before. Sure this is a bigger paper, but the process is still the same. He didn't even give me a chance to write. Has he even read my writing? He's probably just doing this because of Logan. Oh my god, he hates me, and here I am trying to suck up to him. I'm such an idiot._ Her thoughts became jumbled as her numbness was gradually replaced by anger.

She gathered her things and was almost out the door when Mitchum stood and added, "Hey, listen, I know this is rough, but, uh, I may have just done you a big favour."

The smug tone of his voice snapped her last vestige of patience. She whipped around to face him and she whipped around to face him, her cheeks red with pent up rage. "A favour? You think you've done me a favour by telling me I don't 'have it'?

Mitchum's eyes widened at her tone "Do you know how many hours I spent pouring through articles and biographies about you? How much I was trying to impress you? To convince you that I'm good enough for Logan? Your family ambushed us when we came for dinner. I did nothing to deserve that. Logan did not deserve that. I've been bending over backwards for you, and for what? So you can try to crush me? Well it won't work. I don't care what you say, I _will_ be a journalist. It's what I want, what I've always wanted. I'm good at what I do, I mean, have you even read my articles? I turned a boring parking lot story into a masterpiece for crying out loud. I'm applying for the internship here, and I will get it. I don't need you, or your connections to make a name for myself." With that, she spun on her heals and marched out of the office.

xxxx

Luke stood outside the entrance to the steam room at the Stars Hollow Rec Centre and scowled. He didn't understand why he had to have this meeting in there of all places. It was such an idiotic tradition to strip off your clothes and force yourself to sweat, and he really did not want to do it.

He was ready to just give up and leave when someone bumped into him. He swung around, only to find himself face to face with a completely naked Kirk.

"Oh jeez!" Luke turned away and closed his eyes trying to block out the very graphic visual he had just been given. "Kirk, put some clothing on for crying out loud."

"If I did that I would not be participating fully in this male bonding ritual." Kirk grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist. "Is that better?"

"No," Luke groaned, realizing that he had no escape. If he wanted to secure the Twickham house for himself and Lorelai he was going to have to go in there and talk to the town elders. And he was going to have to abide by their stupid rules.

He sighed heavily, and pulled his shirt over his head revealing a smooth and defined chest. He wrapped a towel around his waist and slipped off his jeans. Then he flung open the door and marched inside. Kirk followed him and they stood side by side before Taylor and the town elders, all of whom were attired in nothing more than towels.

Taylor yelped when he saw Kirk and his disfigured chest. "Kirk, you are exempt from the dress code. Please go put on some clothing before you return."

Kirk shrugged and slipped back into the dressing room, leaving Luke to wait in front of the firing squad. While he waited, Luke averted his eyes and stared at a nail that was poking out of the wall on the other side of the room. He was so fixated on that one spot that he failed to notice Kirk reentering the room and Taylor addressing him.

"Lucas!" He finally heard Taylor and reluctantly turned to face him. "Are you ready to begin?"

Luke was ready to say 'yes' just to get the whole stupid ordeal over with, but stopped when he spotted Kirk. Kirk was back, and he was wearing a blue flannel shirt that was only partially tucked into a pair of jeans that were too big for him. Kirk had his fingers laced through the belt loops of the jeans in order to keep them from falling down.

"Kirk, what the hell are you doing in my clothes?" Luke bellowed.

Kirk took a step away from Luke before answering. "I couldn't find mine and yours were just lying there. I figured you wouldn't mind."

"You didn't think I would mind your scrawny ass in my pants?" Luke gave Kirk one last disgusted look before turning to Taylor. "Let's get this over with so I can get out of here and burn those clothes."

Taylor coughed nervously. "Okay, let's start with Kirk then."

Kirk launched into a diatribe about how Luke's bid for the house was rigged and how he had no legal claim to it. He suggested they re-list the house.

The town elders listened politely to Kirk's claim before turning to Luke and letting him have his say. Luke was uncomfortable, he hated all the legal jargon that was flying around and he felt that the sweat dripping down his bare chest was unnatural. He couldn't think clearly in here.

"We had a deal Taylor, I love that house. I want to fix it up, raise a family there."

"With Lorelai?" one of the elders enquired.

The elders began to whisper amongst themselves as Luke mopped the sweat off his forehead. He had to get out of there. He had to go and find Lorelai so they could finish their conversation from that morning.

Kirk interrupted the deliberations, babbling about deep and shallow pockets.

One of the elders looked up. "That's enough, Kirk. We have decided that you both have a legitimate claim to the house."

"What the hell does that mean?" Luke barked.

Another elder, who had been silent until this point, and who had a towel draped over his head spoke up, "It means, Lucas Danes, that we will re-list the house as Kirk suggested and allow both of you to put in an offer. We think it's the right thing to do. The fair thing to do."

"Fair? How is that fair? Who are you guys, anyway? What gives you the authority to make town decisions?"

"Luke, this isn't helping," Taylor cut in.

"This isn't right. Taylor and I had an agreement."

"An agreement that was not legal or fair," Kirk added.

"We've made our decision, Lucas. Put in a legitimate offer on the house and we can go from there." The elder in the corner dropped the towel back over his face and leaned back signifying that the conversation was over.

"This is not over." Luke pointed at Taylor. He pushed past Kirk and slammed the door on his way out.

It wasn't until he entered the changing room that he realized his lack of clothing. "Damn Kirk," Luke muttered.

Deciding he had no other options, Luke found another towel and draped it over his shoulders. Then he slipped out the door and hightailed it over to his truck, praying that no one would see him

 _TBC_


	4. Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: A sincere thank you to all of my readers, without whom my writing efforts would be worthless. Thank you all for the kind words and encouragement.
> 
> Jewels, I thank you yet again for your amazing dedication and diligence. The 12's are all for you QT.

**Aftermath**

Rory stormed through the deserted hallway at Branford College as she stewed over Mitchum and his so called 'words of wisdom'. She yanked her keys out of her pocket and jammed them into the lock, only to have the door swing open forcibly as she came face-to-face with a feral looking Paris.

"Oh, it's you. I thought you were one of those annoying people from upstairs who have been going around asking for everyone's leftover booze." Paris' eyes narrowed when Rory failed to reply. Instead she shoved past Paris and navigated her way through the obstacle course of packing boxes that lay before her.

Paris followed. "Hey, what's with the little Miss Perky act?"

"Don't even start with me, Paris."

"Seriously, what is your issue? I thought you'd be all happy, happy, joy, joy about summer break like the rest of the idiots around this place."

"Well I'm not, okay?" Rory pushed open the door to her bedroom and slammed it in Paris' face. She trudged over to her bed and dumped her bag onto it before sighing and surveying the half-packed boxes that dotted the floor. She really needed to finish packing and take her last load home tonight so she wouldn't have to come back in the morning.

She looked up as the door opened again and Paris entered.

"Hey, ever heard of knocking?" Rory glared at her. _God, Paris is annoying today._

Paris ignored her. Instead, she marched over to Rory's desk, pulled out the chair and pointed to it. "Sit," she ordered in that no nonsense tone of hers.

Rory plunked herself on the chair and stared back at Paris stonily as Paris settled herself onto the corner of Rory's bed. "Talk," she demanded.

Rory gaped at her. "What makes you think there's something to talk about?"

"Oh, for crying out loud. Stop being such a big baby and just spill about whatever it is that's bothering you so that I can do the friend thing before I have to go have sex with Doyle."

Rory wrinkled her nose. "Ewww. That falls under the category of too much information, Paris."

Paris nodded, filing the information away somewhere. "Noted." She looked at Rory pointedly.

Rory sighed. "Fine. I had a chat with Mitchum Huntzberger today. He told me he thinks I don't have what it takes to be a journalist and –"

"What? That wealthy, inconsiderate, jerk. Your writing is almost as good as mine … or Doyle's," she added as an afterthought.

"Um… thanks, I think." Rory rolled her eyes at the typical backhanded compliment.

"So what's our plan of attack here? Should we key his car? Send a pipe bomb? Do I need to call in some of my religion beat connections?"

"Uh, no, don't do that. I kinda freaked at him. Went all ranty, kind of like that day I flipped out on you in Mr. Medina's English class back at Chilton." Rory was reliving the rant in her head. "Oh man." She buried her face in her hands. "What have I done? I shouldn't have been so rude to him. He's a big name in the industry. What if this comes back to haunt me? I'm never going to get that summer internship now."

"Hey! Snap out of it." Paris yanked on Rory's elbow, forcing her to sit up properly.

Rory looked at Paris miserably, her list of what if's continuing internally.

"Listen to me, Rory. Yelling at Mitchum like that took guts. I'm impressed."

"You are?" Rory was incredulous. It took a lot to impress Paris.

"I am. That man could easily ruin you forever, but you told him off and put him in his place. I was wondering when you'd get more backbone. No offense, but you've been kind of wimpy lately. I miss the Rory who arrived at Chilton late and managed to be the only competition I truly enjoyed losing to. That Rory wasn't afraid to fight for what she needed. Welcome back, my friend."

Rory stared at her, clearly stunned. "Have I really changed that much?"

Paris shrugged. "You're back now, that's all that matters."

"Am I really? What if he was right? Maybe I'm not cut out to be a journalist. Maybe I don't have 'it'." Rory slumped in her chair. "What else can I do? I have no other marketable skills. What would I study? I have to drop out of Yale."

"Oh please. Don't be dumb. You've always been the golden child, sheltered in little hicksville. In the real world, people suck. Mitchum is one man, with one opinion. And the wrong one at that. You're a good writer, Rory. Dropping out of Yale is a stupid idea. You're the kid who was behind at Chilton, caught up, earned my respect, became my equal, beat me out of being valedictorian, and got into Harvard. You've proven that you can do whatever you set your mind to. So quit being annoying, and buck up. Go for that internship and kick some butt. Show Mr. Huntzburger that he's messed with the wrong girl." Paris' cheeks were rosy and flushed by the time she gasped out the last words.

Rory stared at her, still processing the torrent of compliments, insults and encouragement that Paris had just thrown at her.

Paris stood up and gestured to the boxes. "I suggest you finish packing, and get ready to take your last load home as quickly as you can, because Doyle is going to be here soon and I don't intend to be quiet. It's our last night together before summer break."

Rory covered her ears. "Jeez, Paris. Be more blunt or something!" She stood up and began throwing the last few items into random boxes. "I'll be gone in 20 minutes," she called as Paris left the room.

xxxx

Luke pulled into the alleyway behind the diner and adjusted his towels before checking to make sure the coast was clear. Deciding it was safe, he hopped out of the truck and hightailed it through the backdoor. He was just about to dash up the stairs to the safety of his apartment, when he crashed into Miss Patty who was just exiting the Ladies' Room.

"Oh jeez," he muttered under his breath as a giant grin spread across the robust woman's face.

"My, my, my," she breathed. "What have we here?" She looked him up and down as he shifted uncomfortably and tried desperately to think of a way out of the very compromising position he was in.

"Err… Hi Patty… I was just … um… on my way…" He gestured to the stairs.

"By all means, sweetheart. Carry on. Don't let little old me stop you." She tilted her head to admire his backside as Luke scampered up the stairs trying his best to hold the second towel around his back and chest so she couldn't see anything. "Mmm… he really is fine to look at," she mused after he'd vanished and she'd turned back toward the main part of the diner. "Mighty fine indeed."

xxxxx

Luke slid into his apartment and leaned against the door with a sigh of relief as it clicked shut behind him.

 _Damn you, Kirk,_ he thought as he strode across the apartment and flung one of the towels over the back of a kitchen chair. _First you try to steal my house and then you steal my clothes. And Patty saw me._ He groaned imagining the rampant rumours that were sure to be spreading at that very moment.

As Luke moved toward the bedroom to get dressed, he spotted the flashing light on the answering machine. He veered towards it and frowned when he saw that it was flashing the number 12. _Who the hell would call me 12 times?_ Curious, he pressed the play button and headed to the closet.

He tossed the second towel onto the bed and pulled out a clean pair of jeans and a fresh flannel as Lorelai's voice filled the apartment. "Hi Luke, it's me. I just wanted to let you know that I'm on my way to the hospital. Sookie is in labour. I'll call with an update when I can."

The machine beeped and he began to dress as the next message started. "Luke, it's me again. Sookie's still in labour, nothing to report yet. Can you call me? I know we left things kind of awkward this morning but I really need to talk to you, and Caesar said you'd stepped out. Call me as soon as you get this."

Luke frowned, wondering what was so urgent.

Worry began to rise in the pit of his stomach as he listened to the next several messages. Her intensity and anxiety seemed to increase with each message as she stressed the need to talk to him, and he could tell she was trying not to cry. _Damn it Kirk, why'd you have to mess things up today of all days? She obviously needed me and I let her down._

Luke slumped miserably on the couch as he listened to her tell him about Sookie's daughter in a high pitched voice that betrayed her panic. Something had happened at that hospital today and he needed to know what. He sensed that it was somehow related to the unfinished baby talk but he wasn't quite sure what the connection was. She sounded so spooked.

He stood up, grabbed his keys and was ready to head straight to the hospital to find her when the twelfth and final message began to play. "Luke, where have you been all day? Sookie is sleeping now and I'm on my way to Friday Night Dinner. Rory called to say she isn't coming, so I'm going to try to get out of it early. I really need to talk to you. I'll meet you at the diner at 9 o'clock. I really hope you get this."

Luke dropped his keys, his lips pursed tightly as he contemplated the tension and weariness in her voice. He glanced at his watch: 8:00 PM. He had an hour to kill.

He pulled on his shoes and returned to the diner, deciding that helping Caesar close up would keep him busy enough to hold his concern at bay until she arrived.

xxxx

At 8:25 the bell above the door jingled. Luke looked up hopefully from the table he was cleaning, and when Rory stepped into the deserted diner, his smile faded only slightly. Luke quickly flipped the chairs upside down onto the table before heading to the counter to meet her.

He grabbed a mug and poured Rory's coffee before she'd even had a chance to plop herself onto the stool.

"Thanks, Luke," she said as she breathed in the warm, sweet scent and took a careful sip. "Just what I needed."

"You okay?" Luke leaned on the countertop and studied her carefully. She seemed upset about something.

"Not really. This day has sucked. Really, really sucked." Rory took another sip of coffee. Luke plated a piece of cherry pie and slid it toward her.

"Pie usually helps in these cases, I've learned." Rory smiled at him gratefully. "Thanks, Luke."

They were silent for several moments as Luke tidied up behind the counter and Rory savoured the delicious pie.

Rory was the first to break the silence. She told Luke what had happened at the paper that day, and conveyed her concerns about what to do next. "Paris says I should just suck it up and prove that he's wrong. But it hurts, you know?" At Luke's nod she continued, "I mean, I know that I've still got a lot to learn, but I really thought I was doing a good job and now, I just feel so lost. I told Paris that I think I should just drop out of Yale until I figure this out."

Her eyes filled with tears and Luke felt the urge to go to her and comfort her. He walked to her side of the counter and pulled her into an awkward hug. "Rory, you're the brightest kid I've ever met. You're also the most inquisitive. If you want to be a journalist then you will be a journalist. Of that I have no doubt." Rory began to sob against his chest. He was furious with this Mitchum guy for hurting her and if he could have, he would have jumped in his truck right then and there and gone to punch the guy. Instead, he gently patted her back and let her cry.

As she calmed down he whispered, "No matter what, you are not dropping out of Yale. You worked hard to get there, you deserve to be there and you love it. Dropping out of Yale is NOT an option, even if it means I have to follow you around next semester and force you to go to classes."

Rory began to giggle softly as she pictured Luke stalking her at Yale. That would be fun to explain. He was right, though, dropping out of Yale would not be the right choice for her. She was just confused now, but she'd figure it out. She always did. Maybe it was time for a 'pro/con' list.

She pulled back and looked up at him. "Thanks, Luke. Somehow you always know just what I need."

Luke blushed slightly as he moved back to his side of the counter. "Sometimes you're easier to figure out than your mother," he joked.

"Mom!" Rory yelped in panic. "What am I going to tell her? She's going to freak out. She already hates Logan and his family."

"She doesn't hate him. She just doesn't like the way his family treated you. And I agree with her. You're so much better than those people. Just tell your mom what you told me. She would be hurt if you kept it from her." Luke took Rory's hand and squeezed it encouragingly. "She'll understand."

Rory felt infinitely better and decided to order a cheeseburger. When Luke returned from the kitchen 5 minutes later with her meal, she was smiling and looking much more like herself.

Luke set her plate in front of her and shoved his hand in his pocket. He felt around for the object he'd placed there before he'd come downstairs. Grasping it lightly and clinging to it for courage, he took a deep breath and said in a rush, "While you're here, there's actually something I've been meaning to talk to you about."

Rory looked at him quizzically as he fidgeted nervously. "Okay," she said, wondering what it could be.

Luke glanced around the diner as though expecting eavesdroppers, even though the place was completely empty. He leaned on the counter again so that he was eyelevel with her before saying softly, "I was wondering if you would be willing to give me your blessing to ask your mother to marry me."

Rory's squeal was so unexpected that Luke flailed his arms and managed to knock a bottle of Ketchup on the floor. He cursed loudly as it shattered, causing Rory to stop shrieking and lower her voice to human decibel levels.

"Oops. Sorry Luke. I guess I got a little carried away for a moment there. Yes, of course you have my blessing. Mom loves you, I love you, might as well make it official." She continued to ramble on as Luke bent to clean up the mess. "Do you have a ring picked out already? When do you think the wedding will be? You know what would be perfect for you two? A winter wedding. Mom would love that. She loves the snow. And weddings are cheaper in the winter. Think Mom will let me help with the planning. Oh, I can't wait. You're going to become a Gilmore, Luke!"

Luke tossed the last of the ketchup mess into the trash and gaped at her. "Woah, slow down, Rory. You're as bad as your mother sometimes." Rory giggled. "

"There's something else," he said softly.

Rory's mouth was filled with cheeseburger so she nodded for him to continue.

"I want to buy her a house." Luke was watching her, waiting anxiously to know her reaction.

Rory swallowed and took a sip of her coffee before gasping, "A house?" Her eyes were wide with surprise.

Luke nodded emphatically. "The Twickham house, to be exact."

"Woah, that's a big house."

"It's beautiful though. I've always loved it. What do you think?"

Rory munched on a fry as she contemplated for a moment. "Well, I think it's a really sweet gesture, Luke, but Mom would freak."

Luke's face fell and Rory rushed to assure him.

"She'd appreciate the gesture, but mom is funny about things like this. I think it's because of the way she grew up or something, but she doesn't like other people making big decisions for her. A house is a huge deal; she'd want to be part of the process." It was Rory's turn to anxiously await a reply. She took another bite from her burger, giving Luke time to process what she'd said.

Luke slouched his shoulders as he internally kicked himself. "You're right. I should have thought of that, Rory. She should be included in the decision. I'm such an idiot."

This time it was Rory who grasped his hand and squeezed it, reassuring him that it was okay. "It'll be fine, Luke. You haven't bought the house yet, have you?"

Luke shook his head. "No, I almost had it, but then Kirk made an offer and… well, it's a long story but the end result is that the house is being re-listed. I'll have a chance to make another offer, but it may not be accepted."

"Okay, so talk to mom, and if you decide to make an offer you can do it together." She popped the last piece of her burger into her mouth and stood up to leave. "I should go, I have an exam first thing tomorrow and I'm staying here tonight. Talk to Mom, it will all work out, I'm sure of it."

"Thank you, Rory, for everything. And your situation will work itself out too. If I can do anything to help, just let me know." Luke poured her a cup of coffee to go and handed it to her.

"You've already done more than enough for me, Luke. You have no idea how much I appreciate being able to talk to you like this. Thanks. Oh, and don't wait too long to propose, I'm not sure how long I can keep it a secret." With that, she pulled her purse over her shoulder and exited the diner. He watched protectively as she walked to her car and drove away. He was about to clear her plates, when Lorelai's Jeep jerked to a stop right out front.

 _Showtime_ , he thought nervously as he patted his pocket and walked toward the door to meet her.

 _TBC_

xxxxx


	5. Revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. This next chapter is a personal favourite and I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. My goal is to start updating this story weekly – on Sundays. No promises, but I will do my best to stick to that pending any unexpected life issues.
> 
> A heartfelt thank you goes to Filo for her assistance in brainstorming and developing some of the ideas in this chapter. Trust me, it would have been much lamer without your help.
> 
> I must take a moment now to express my eternal gratitude and appreciation for the blessing that has come to me in the form of my beta, Jewels12. None of this would be possible without you. I owe you big time for the hours you invest in reading and betaing my stories. Thank you.

**Revelations**

Lorelai slid out of the jeep and leaned her hip against the door to close it. She took a deep breath and glanced anxiously at the diner, releasing it when she spotted Luke inside. _Thank God he's here._ The tension and angst she'd been feeling since she'd last seen him melted away as she tread toward him.

As she climbed the stairs, Luke opened the door for her, his own relief evident on his face. "Hi," he greeted her as she entered.

"Hi." Never had she been so happy to see someone in all her life. She collapsed onto the closest chair and let her purse thud to the floor.

Luke locked the door, then took a seat next to her, studying her face. "You look tired." He frowned, concerned by the redness in her eyes and dark circles that surrounded them.

Lorelai sighed heavily. "I've just come from Friday Night Dinner. My mother, combined with the stress of the last two days was just not what I needed right now."

"Did you show her the article?"

"Uh huh," Lorelai groaned.

"And?" Luke inquired as he strode over to the counter, filled a mug with coffee and returned, placing it in front of her.

"Well, it didn't start World War III, so that's something." Lorelai smiled at him gratefully as she bent down to sip at the coffee in front of her. She immediately began to feel better. His coffee was better than medicine.

"That bad, huh?"

"It could have been worse. We're still talking at least." Lorelai took another sip of coffee and looked at Luke over the rim of her mug. She wasn't sure how to approach the topic she most wanted to discuss. She'd been on edge all day, waiting to hear back from the doctor about the pregnancy test and wishing Luke was there with her. With each unanswered message that she'd left him, she'd felt herself growing more and more anxious about the whole situation. _What if I scared him away with all this talk of babies? What if I am pregnant and he doesn't want children? Can I be a single parent again?_ She'd nearly driven herself crazy with her musings, and seeing Sookie bring her precious daughter into the world had done nothing to ease her anxieties or her yearning to have a family with Luke.

Luke watched her carefully as she sipped at her coffee. Her eyes were glazed over and he knew she was lost in a world of her own. Something else was bothering her, besides the visit with her mother and he was pretty sure he knew what it was. He reached out and stroked her cheek softly, smoothing the skin with his thumb. "I'm sorry I missed your messages. I had some appointments I had to take care of," he intoned sincerely.

Lorelai blinked, and set down her mug. "It's okay."

"No, it's not. You sounded upset." Luke leaned forward and caught her lips with his in a quick, comforting kiss. As he pulled away, her stomach gurgled and he chuckled. "Let me make you something to eat and then we can finish our conversation from the other morning. Cheeseburger okay?"

Lorelai looked at him adoringly, relieved that he'd broached the subject first, and thrilled that he knew her eating habits so well. "A cheeseburger would be heavenly."

"I'll be right back." As Luke heated up the grill and the deep fryer, he contemplated the best way to reveal his feelings to Lorelai. Once the fries were in and the cheeseburger was on the grill, he began to prep the bun. Luke laughed quietly to himself as an idea occurred to him. He grabbed a ketchup bottle and wrote the words: 'Marry Me?' on the bun in shaky red lettering.

Pleased with his handiwork, Luke added the lettuce, tomato and pickle to the other side of the bun before sliding the cooked cheeseburger on top and arranging the fresh fries beside it. At the last minute, he grabbed the mustard and wrote, "I love you" on the melted cheese. Satisfied, Luke grabbed the plate and headed back to her table, butterflies flapping in his abdomen.

He set the plate in front of Lorelai and studied her apprehensively. "Thanks, Luke, I'm famished." She looked at her plate for a second, before placing the bun on top of the burger and taking a bite.

He waited expectantly for her response to the question but when it didn't come he began to wonder if she'd even seen it. _Damn it, Danes, you should know better than to mess with her food._

He watched in amazement as she devoured the burger, barely chewing before she swallowed. "Jeez, slow down, you're going to choke yourself." Luke winced at his tone.

She frowned. "Sorry, I haven't eaten since this morning."

"Well, you don't have to inhale it," Luke grumbled, crossing his arms and deciding with certainty that she mustn't have seen the proposal. He felt anger building within him and though he fought hard to contain it, he failed miserably. It bubbled to the surface and he stood, pacing and ranting while Lorelai shoved the last bite of burger in her mouth. She stared at him in bewilderment for a moment before shifting her fries around on her plate. "Damn it, Lorelai, why don't you pay attention to things? Why are you always in such a hurry? I try to do something sweet and romantic, and you miss it completely. Instead, you just shovel it in like you're never going to see another cheeseburger again."

"Luke, I –"

He ignored her and continued ranting, as he banged around, lifting chairs and placing them on top of tables. "I had a plan, you know. You'd see the message I wrote you and then I would tell you how much I loved you. How I love Rory as much as I would if she were my own flesh and blood. I'd tell you how I've dreamed of having a family with you for years."

Lorelai felt a swell of emotion soaring through her as she tried in vain to interject, "Luke –"

"I'd tell you how I've been trying to buy us the Twickham house so we can fill it with the all the little children that haunt my dreams. I was going to tell you how I can't imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone but you. That I want to grow old with you - holding hands and still madly in love when we're 95 - old with you. But you had to rush, and so you didn't even see my proposal." Luke had worked his way back to their table, and as he dropped in his chair he finally looked at her. "Are you even listening to me?"

"Luke!" Lorelai gestured to her plate.

He looked down, the anger ebbing as he saw what she'd done. She'd rearranged the fries on her plate to form three letters: Y-E-S. He gaped at her, trying to form words but managing only to sputter random sounds. He finally found his voice again, "You mean you saw it? And instead of saying something, you make me wait? You let me go off, ranting and raving like a crazy person when you'd already seen it?"

"That's why I was eating so fast, Luke. I wanted to respond, but I was starving so I decided if I ate quickly, I wouldn't keep you waiting long. Apparently that was a bad move." She slapped her forehead and muttered to herself, "Man first, _then_ stomach, remember that next time."

Luke glanced down at the fries again, this time registering the meaning of the message. "You said yes," he whispered.

"You proposed," she countered.

"Badly," Luke grumbled.

Lorelai reached out and clutched his hand. "Not badly. It was perfect. I'm the idiot who ate the proposal."

"I'm the idiot who thought it would be a good idea to mess with your food." Luke stood and tugged on her hand, pulling her up to stand in front of him.

"Yeah, you should know better than to try and get in the way of my bottomless stomach... especially when I haven't eaten all day," Lorelai teased.

"I'm such a fool." Luke's face softened and he brought his hands around to her waist and pulled her closer, their faces now mere inches from each other.

"A fool in love with me." Lorelai swung her arms around his neck and closed the distance between them. Electricity surged through her body as their lips connected. She pressed against him, and his lips parted. Her tongue darted out to trace the contours of his mouth.

All of her doubts and concerns from the past few days dissolved as they kissed. _He loves me, he loves my daughter, and he wants to have a family with me, a family he wants to raise in the Twickham hou-._ Lorelai pulled her lips from his and looked at him, her brow furrowed. "Wait. You tried to buy us the Twickham house?"

Luke looked at her sheepishly. "Yes."

Lorelai's eyes widened. "But that place is huge."

"Yeah, but it's beautiful. They don't make them like that anymore." Luke's eyes glazed over as he began to daydream about their future children sliding down the beautiful wooden banister.

"Luke," Lorelai pulled away from his embrace, "I'm a little hurt that you tried to buy a house without talking to me about it."

Luke backed up to the counter and perched himself on a stool. "I know. I wanted to surprise you, but even before the deal fell through, I realized that I wanted you to have a say. This is something we should decide together. I don't even know if you'd want to leave your house."

Lorelai's expression softened and she joined him at the counter. "It's a lovely gesture, Luke, but I'm glad you're including me now. First though, tell me what the status is on the Twickham house."

Luke relaxed and filled her in, detailing his secret meetings with Taylor and the most recent dealings with Kirk.

"He stole your clothes?" Lorelai giggled, picturing the expression that must have been on his face when he'd seen Kirk in his jeans and flannel.

"It's not funny," Luke growled.

"It kinda is." Lorelai saw the displeased look on his face and quickly shifted gears. "Wow, who knew that Kirk was loaded? What's he still doing living with his mother?"

"You're seriously asking me to analyse Kirk?" Luke rubbed his temples; he was starting to get a headache.

"You're right, it's Kirk. He's beyond explanation."

"So what do you think? Should we put another offer in on the house? Together this time?" Luke searched her face for clues to her thoughts.

Lorelai was silent for several minutes as she pondered. Finally she spoke and Luke let out a breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding. "I'm not sure I'm ready to part with the Crap Shack just yet." His face fell and she quickly added, "That doesn't mean I think we should rule out buying another house. I always kind of had a secret dream of living in a house with a lot of land, somewhere in the country where I could have horses."

"Horses?" Luke asked incredulously.

"Hey, I was five when I first had this fantasy, and I like horses. But my point is, we need to sit down together, at a time when we're not so emotional and tired, and decide what it is we both want in a house. We should consult Rory too. Then we can decide if the Twickham house fits our needs. And if it does, we can make an offer. If it doesn't comma then we should keep looking until we find the right house. What do you think?"

Luke smiled and reached for her. "I think it sounds like a plan." He pulled her into a tight hug and kissed her forehead. "So what had you so panicked that you had to leave me 12 messages? Sookie okay?"

"You're lucky it was only 12. Sookie was fine. I was freaking out about the possible pregnancy thing. Didn't help that I was in a maternity ward and eating fruit."

Luke's jaw dropped. "You ate fruit? Voluntarily?"

"It has happened... on occasion. The last time it happened, I was pregnant with Rory."

"Thus the panic?"

"Thus the panic." Lorelai's gaze shifted to her shoes as she mumbled, "I talked to a doctor, and he did a pregnancy test."

"You had a pregnancy test?" Luke felt his eyes travel to her stomach. _Our baby could be in there already_.

"Yeah, I had the test and I wanted you there with me. That's the other reason I called. All I could think was that if I'm pregnant, then I want you to be a part of the process."

"I want that too." Luke tilted her chin up. "So?"

"So, what?" Lorelai looked at him, puzzled.

"What's the verdict?"

"I don't know yet. The lab hadn't called back before I left the hospital. Dr. Hooper said he'd call me as soon as he got the results."

"So we wait?" Luke pulled her closer, breathing in the fruity scent of her hair, as his hands began to roam over the expanse of her back.

"We wait," Lorelai confirmed, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'm kind of glad, actually."

Luke's hands stilled. "You are?"

"Yes, this is news we should hear together." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him warmly. "Especially now that we're engaged." She pulled back suddenly and covered her mouth with her left hand as her own words registered. "Oh my God, Luke, we're getting married."

Luke's face broke into a huge smile, "We are. It seems a little surreal doesn't it?"

She nodded as he took her hand and lightly traced her knuckles with his thumb. He paused, and looked down, frowning at her bare ring finger. "Jeez. I can't seem to do any of this properly."

Lorelai looked at him in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"The proposal," he growled, "I forgot to give you the damn ring." He jerked her hand upwards, emphasizing his point.

"You got me a damn ring?" Lorelai said with glee.

Luke released her hand and glared at her. "It's not funny, Lorelai."

"Oh, but it is," she replied, trying to contain her giggles. "Think of the story we'll have to tell our grandkids one day."

"Lorelai," he growled, "This was supposed to be romantic."

She sobered, touched by his frustration, and reached for his hands, pulling him back to her. "It _is_ romantic, Luke. You asked me to marry you and I said yes. What could be more romantic than that?" She released his hands, brought hers to his cheeks, and pulled his face down to hers, enveloping him in a searing kiss. Luke encircled her with his arms and returned the kiss eagerly, his tongue pushing its way between her lips. She pressed against him and opened her mouth, providing him with greater leverage to devour her thoroughly.

His hands began to slide along her back, his light touch sending shivers up and down her spine. He settled his left hand between her shoulder blades and held her steady as he continued to kiss her passionately. His right hand still explored her lower back, finally coming to rest on her bottom.

Lorelai melted into the kiss, her own hands performing a detailed exploration of their own. As her fingers travelled over his ass she felt something hard and square in his back pocket. She broke the kiss and fixed her eyes on his as she dug it out of his pocket. She leaned back, his arms supporting her as she held up the red velvet box. "Is this the ring?" she asked softly.

At his nod, she carefully opened it. Lorelai gasped as she stared, transfixed, at the beautiful object before her. It was a simple white gold band, set with a single, round cut solitaire. "It was my mother's," Luke whispered.

She looked up at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Oh, Luke, it's perfect." She eased out of his embrace and handed it to him, her gaze never leaving his.

Luke removed the ring and set the box down on the counter. He took her left hand in his, and gently slid the ring into place. "I love you, Lorelai Gilmore."

"I love you, Luke Danes." Her lips found his again and they kissed urgently, their mutual need for one another escalating with every second that passed.

Luke broke the kiss, and without saying a word, he took her hand and led her behind the curtain.

 _TBC_

xxxxx


	6. Rejuvenation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Look at me being all reliable and such! It's Sunday and as promised here is the next chapter of Secret Desires and Nameless Fears. Thank you to everyone who's been leaving me such amazing reviews. I am in complete and utter awe. Oh, and FILO, look... I CAN say ass...
> 
> Jewels, I'm running out of ways to express my gratitude to you for all that you do for me. Your comments and praise inspire me and your unwavering patience is my guiding light. I have finally mastered the dialogue tag and that is all due to you! So thank you for your time, thank you for your support, and thank you for helping me to learn something new. *hugs* Just... thank you.

**Rejuvenation**

Rory was deep in thought as she pulled into the driveway of the Crap Shack. She wandered her way to the front door in a daze, absently waving to Babette as she let herself in. The house was dark and cold as she entered. Rory shivered as she shrugged off her coat and turned the heat up before flopping onto the couch and burrowing under a blanket.

She sat there for almost 20 minutes, staring into space as she reflected on her day. A part of her was still furious with Mitchum for what he'd said to her, but another part of her was grateful. He hadn't been entirely wrong. She could have been more assertive in that meeting. She had been trying so hard to impress him as his assistant, that she had forgotten about demonstrating her chops as a journalist.

Her thoughts shifted and Paris's words echoed through her brain. " _No offense, but you've been kind of wimpy lately. I miss the Rory who arrived at Chilton late and managed to be the only competition I truly enjoyed losing to. That Rory wasn't afraid to fight for what she needed. Welcome back, my friend."_

 _Have I really changed that much?_ Rory wondered. She searched her mind for memories of the past few years and realized that maybe she _had_ changed. Since being with Logan, and maybe even before that, she'd started morphing into a different person, a person she didn't recognize. She'd begun to lose herself and she hadn't even noticed.

Rory was jerked out of her reverie by a loud pounding sound at the front door. She looked at the clock: 11:30. _Who on earth would be knocking at this hour?_ She shuffled to the door, wondering if maybe her mother had lost her keys again.

She swung the door open and her eyes widened in surprise when she saw Logan leaning casually against the door frame, his fist raised as though he were about to pound again.

"Logan. What are you doing here?" Rory frowned, noticing his blood-shot eyes.

"Rory!" Logan smiled and pushed away from the door frame, stumbling as he lost his balance.

Rory reached out her hand to steady him. "Logan? What's going on?"

"I could ask you the same question, Ace." He tried to push past her but fumbled again and ended up on his ass.

Rory sighed and helped him up, leading him over to the couch.

After he was settled, she tried again, "Logan, why are you here?"

"What? I can't visit my _girlfriend_ after she stands me up? What the hell, Rory? I thought you were going to meet me at Honor's party."

"Something came up."

"What? Dinner at your grandparents' house? I thought I told you to blow that off!"

Rory didn't like the way he was speaking to her. "Actually, no, Logan. I was dealing with your father and his 'feedback' and I didn't feel much like partying, so I came home."

Logan looked her in the eye for the first time. "So I heard. Apparently my father loves you now. Gave me his blessing to move forward with our relationship."

Rory did a double take. "What?"

"My father called me this evening. Said something about how you had guts after all and he was sorry for being so negative. Said you were good for me, that the family approves. What the hell did you say to him about me, Rory?" Logan stood up clumsily, using the arm of the couch to support himself.

Rory stood as well, pacing as she ranted, "I didn't say anything about you, Logan. Your father sat me down today and tried to crush me. He told me I didn't "have it", that I wasn't cut out to be a journalist. I was hurt and I was angry and as I was leaving, I lashed out at him and I defended myself. That is all. I was too upset afterward to pretend to put on a happy face and come to Honor's party. It had nothing to do with you."

"Rory -" Logan's face softened and he reached for her.

Rory raised her hand, signalling him to stop. "No, Logan, I'm done. You show up here tonight, _drunk_ , freaking out because your father said he approves of our relationship. Well, you know what that tells me?"

"Rory, I -" He slowly took a step toward her.

She backed up and continued, her volume rising, "It tells me that maybe you aren't ready to have a _girlfriend_. You panic at the first sign of commitment. It's obviously not you, so why don't I just make it easier on both of us and let you off the hook."

"Come on, Ace, we're good together you and me." He leered forward and tried to kiss her, his hands groping for her breasts.

She slid away just in time, and walked toward the foyer, hoping he would follow. "A relationship is about more than sex, Logan. It's about commitment and effort and compromise. Are you ready for that?"

Logan stalked toward her. "I thought we were having a good time, can't we just keep doing what we're doing?" He tried to kiss her again, and this time he managed to catch her cheek.

She pulled away and moved to open the door. "No, Logan. I think it's pretty obvious that we're not on the same page here at all, and it's time we both admitted that this isn't working."

"How can you say that?" Logan grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into a vigorous kiss as he pressed her back against the door. He ground his hips against hers, one hand sliding under her shirt to grasp her breast as the other fumbled with the button of her jeans. He forced his tongue into her mouth and Rory tried not to gag as she tasted the alcohol on his breath. She struggled against him, attempting to bat his hands away and shove him at the same time. She finally managed to manoeuvre her knee between his legs in a sharp upward motion. Logan cried out in pain and broke the kiss, providing Rory with the opportunity to push him off of her.

She opened the front door, positioning her body behind it so that he wouldn't be able to try anything else. "You should leave now, Logan. That display just erased any doubts I might have had about breaking up with you."

Logan straightened slightly. "God, Rory, I was just trying to -"

"Prove that you don't respect me? Well you did a great job. Now get out."

Logan gave her one last pleading look before slinking out the door and stumbling to the limo that was waiting for him.

As soon as he was clear of the threshold, Rory slammed the door shut and crumpled against it, shaking.

xxxxx

Luke rolled to his side, panting as he caught his breath and his heart rate began to slow. He glanced lovingly at Lorelai as she fought to regain her bearings, and come down from the high he'd given her. When her feet had metaphorically touched the ground again, she snuggled into his arms, her head resting against his chest.

He kissed the top of her head, breathing in the rich, fruity scent that emanated from her hair. She began to plant a series of quick, wet kisses across his chest. She gradually moved higher, trailing kisses up his neck and along his jaw-line before capturing his lips with hers. Lorelai kissed him tenderly, her raw emotions rising to the surface as their tongues melded.

She drew away and nuzzled into the safety of his neck as Luke stroked her hair. He reached out and traced the contours of her left hand, pausing when he reached the engagement ring. It fit her perfectly, just as she fit him. He was still amazed that she had said 'yes'. He'd once thought this moment would never come. And now it was happening; she was going to become his wife. They were headed for forever and his heart soared at the thought.

Lorelai followed Luke's gaze, and she smiled as her eyes came to rest on the ring. "I'm so happy, Luke. I can't wait to tell everyone. I want to stand on the roof top and shout at the top of my lungs: 'I'm engaged to Luke Danes, the love of my life!'"

"Oh, jeez," Luke groaned, imagining the ruckus that would cause.

"Okay, well how else should we tell people? You know the loons in this town will figure it out. Probably better we tell them sooner rather than later."

"It's none of their damn business," he grumbled.

Lorelai giggled. She loved it when Luke was grumpy about the town. "Okay, how about we tell them at the town meeting in two days? That way we can tell everyone at once. I have to tell Sookie first though; she'd never forgive me if I didn't."

Luke groaned. "Fine. At least that way it's over with quickly. We should tell your parents too."

Lorelai winced. "Can't we just tell them after we're married?" Luke gave her a pointed look. "Ugh. Okay, okay. You're right, we should tell them." She had a sudden flashback to the argument she'd had with her mother after she'd announced her engagement to Max. "And we should probably tell them before we tell the town. My mother would never let me hear the end of it if she wasn't one of the first to know."

"We could drive out to Hartford tomorrow," Luke suggested.

Lorelai sighed. "I guess we could. My mother two days in a row. Gah, what did I do to deserve this?" She was silent for several moments as she imagined the fiasco that was sure to occur the next day.

Luke rubbed her back, silently reassuring her that she wasn't alone. "It will be fine, you'll see. Maybe Rory can join us, act as a buffer."

"She has her last exam tomorrow," Lorelai muttered, before looking up at him and brightening. "Rory! I can't wait to tell Rory," she told him giddily.

His hand stilled. "She kind of already knows," he confessed.

"She does?" Lorelai's face fell a little.

"She was so upset when she came into the diner earlier that I wanted to cheer her up. I'd been planning to ask for her blessing anyway." Luke shrugged, hoping she wasn't upset.

Lorelai had relaxed and was beaming again. "You asked for her blessing? Oh, Luke, that is the sweetest thing you could have done. Thank you." She kissed him softly. "Wait. Rory was upset? Why? What happened?" She furrowed her brow in concern.

"She had a run in with Mitchum Huntzberger today, and he said some things that upset her. We talked and I think she felt better afterward. You should probably talk to her too, though. Get the whole story out of her." Luke smoothed her hair, trying to reassure her that her daughter was all right.

Lorelai looked at him, her eyes shining with love. "Thank you, Luke. Thank you for talking to her and cheering her up. I hate it when I can't be there for her when she needs me."

"I know." He hugged her tightly and kissed her forehead.

Lorelai lay silent for several minutes, her hand tracing lazy patterns on his chest as she thought about her daughter. _What did Mitchum say?_ she wondered. _Was Rory really okay? What if she needs me right now and I'm not there?"_

Luke grasped her hand, stopping her movements. "It's all right with me if you want to go talk to her now. I know you won't be able to sleep until you do."

She shifted positions so she could look at him again. "Luke, are you sure?"

"I'm sure, Lorelai." Luke gave her a quick kiss and brought her to a sitting position. "You won't rest until you've confirmed with your own eyes that Rory is okay. And that means I won't rest either. So I think it's in everyone's best interests' might sound better that you go and check on Rory."

Lorelai flung her arms around his neck. "Oh, Luke, thank you for understanding." She pressed her lips to his and kissed him passionately.

Luke felt himself hardening as she deepened the kiss. Reluctantly, he pulled away, holding her at arms length. "Lorelai," he said in a deep, gravelly voice, "Go to Rory before I change my mind."

Lorelai saw the hunger in his eyes and fought the temptation to dive back into their depths. Her gut told her that Rory needed her right now. Her own desires would have to wait.

Luke watched as Lorelai quickly dressed and gathered her belongings. She returned to the bed to kiss him goodbye and before he knew it, she was gone. Luke sighed and slid off the bed, heading to the bathroom for a cold shower.

xxxxx

Lorelai walked home, floating on a cloud as she drifted through the empty streets and breathed in the crisp, spring air. Though she was worried about Rory, she couldn't seem to prevent her thoughts from flittering back to Luke and their engagement.

Her footsteps were as light as her heart as she padded up the front steps. "Rory?" she called, as she swung the door open.

Lorelai entered the foyer, and closed the door. Her chest tightened with concern when she spotted Rory huddled in the corner next to the door. After dropping her coat on the bench, Lorelai knelt beside her daughter and pulled her into a sideways hug.

"Rory? Talk to me, babe. What happened?" Lorelai ran her fingers through Rory's hair, and was met with silence. "Luke said you talked to him earlier, that Mitchum had upset you."

Rory sniffed, and twisted her head slightly so she could speak. "It's not just that," she managed to say between sobs. "It's Logan. We broke up."

"Oh, hon." Lorelai sank to the floor and held her daughter as she continued to cry.

They sat in the foyer for a long time as Rory wept and Lorelai soothed her with hugs and comforting words. When her tears had finally ceased, Rory pulled away and dried her eyes. "Thanks, Mom."

"Anytime, kiddo." Lorelai brushed away a stay tear. "Why don't you go put on your PJ's, while I get the ice cream and some spoons. We can meet on the couch in 5 minutes and you can tell me all about it."

Rory nodded. "I'd like that," she whispered.

xxxxx

Ten minutes later, they were huddled together on the sofa, a pile of plastic spoons and a large tub of rocky road between them, as Rory filled her mother in on the events of the evening.

"I just can't believe he had the audacity to show up drunk like that and yell at me for missing his sister's party. And then, when he wouldn't leave, and he tried to force himself on me like that? I was actually frightened. I never thought I'd be scared of Logan." Rory shuddered and attempted to push the image from her mind.

Lorelai breathed deeply, trying to quell her own anger at how Logan had treated her daughter. She was grateful that he would no longer be in Rory's life, but her heart ached for her. She hated to see her hurting like this. Deciding it would be best to change the subject, Lorelai said, "Tell me more about what happened with Mitchum."

Rory launched into a long winded rant detailing her conversations with Mitchum, Paris, and Luke. Lorelai found herself smiling as Rory revealed her tirade at Mitchum and her mixed feelings about it. She was proud of Rory for standing up for herself, for standing up to that man. And she was struck by how grown up her daughter was becoming. She wasn't a little girl anymore. No, now she was this strong, independent woman who knew how to rise above a challenge and get herself back on track.

"So I made a list of all the things I need to do to apply for the internship," Rory said. She grabbed a pad from the coffee table and handed it to her mother. "Most of these things I can do this weekend, starting after my exam tomorrow." She pointed to something on the list, and continued, "Then, once everything is gathered, I can mail it, and I shouldn't have any problem meeting the deadline."

"Wow, you've really thought this through," Lorelai teased, not really surprised at all. Rory had always been incredibly organized.

"Yeah, well at first I was discouraged, but I know I can do this. Paris reminded me of the drive I used to have in high school and I think it's time I got some of that back." She set down the note pad and spoke softly, "All of this has made me realize that I haven't really been me lately. It's like...everything...since Dean..." She looked down at her hands. "I think I lost myself."

Lorelai transfered the ice cream to the coffee table and moved closer to Rory. "Aww, hon, of course you're still you. We all change over time; it's part of growing up."

"What if I don't like who I've become?" Rory placed her head on Lorelai's shoulder, and Lorelai brought her arms around to embrace her.

"Then you do what you can to evolve." Lorelai kissed the top of her head. "You can be whoever you want to be, kiddo. I've been telling you that for years."

Rory hugged her mother gratefully then suddenly broke into a shrill squeal. "Oh my God!"

Lorelai jumped about a foot, releasing Rory as she tried to regain some semblance of a normal heart beat. "What?" she asked, concerned.

Rory grabbed her hand and held it up so she could see the ring more closely. "He did it. Luke finally did it. He proposed. You're engaged. Oh my God!"

Lorelai laughed, her heart soaring again as she revelled in Rory's enthusiasm. "Yes, I'm engaged. I can't believe it. And you'll never guess _how_ he did it."

They settled onto the couch again while Lorelai told Rory about the proposal of errors. "So we're going to Hartford to tell my parents tomorrow afternoon." Lorelai made a face and Rory giggled.

"It will be fine, Mom. They'll be happy for you."

Lorelai looked at Rory sceptically. "Have you _met_ Richard and Emily Gilmore?"

"All right so maybe they won't be happy, happy. But I don't think it's going to be quite the disaster you imagine."

"With my parents, you can never be certain. You want to tell them for me? They like you better than me." Lorelai looked at her hopefully.

"Sorry Mom, you have to be the one to tell them."

Lorelai sighed. "I know. I'll feel better once it's over with." She patted Rory's knee and stood up. "Anyway, it's late and we're expected at Luke's for breakfast tomorrow morning before you leave for your exam. We should go to bed."

"Okay. I'm gonna call Lane first, fill her in on tonight." Rory gave her mother a big hug before grabbing the phone and heading to her room. "Good night, Mom. I'm so happy for you and Luke."

"Thanks, kiddo. Sweet dreams." With that, Lorelai trudged up the stairs and slid into bed, wishing she were back in Luke's arms.

 _TBC_

xxxxx


	7. Deluge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: It's Sunday again, so you know what THAT means... :)
> 
> The chapter you've all been waiting for is here! Please note the rating change.
> 
> Thank you to Mag1 for taking a look at this chapter for me and offering some additional feedback. Your comments were much appreciated and they definitely made this better. I'd also like to thank Boom for her help in brainstorming part of this. I'll tell you which part is hers at the end. Thanks again friend!
> 
> Jewels12, my song of praise to you is once again unwavering. Your comments and suggestions on this chapter were particularly helpful and they brought a smile to my face when I needed one the most. So thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to beta this for me.

**Deluge**

Early the next morning, Rory and Lorelai wove their way sleepily through the town, grumbling and groaning about the cruelty, torture and inconvenience of having to wake up before 8 am on a Saturday. Lorelai finally felt herself begin to wake up when she caught a whiff of Luke's coffee from across the town square. She picked up her pace, her whole being focused on getting to Luke and his miraculous serum, only to find herself suddenly engulfed in Miss Patty's enthusiastic embrace.

Rory attempted to stifle a giggle as she watched her mother flail and struggle to breathe as the robust woman pressed her face tightly to her bosom. "Congratulations, Lorelai. You are one lucky lady, let me tell you. Oh, to have the privilege of seeing Luke in a towel every day, I'd think I'd died and gone to heaven, especially after the glimpse I got the other day..." Patty trailed off dreamily and loosened her grip, providing Lorelai with an opportunity to come up for air.

She prepared herself, intending to question Patty on the congratulatory comment. Surely this wasn't about the engagement; they hadn't told anyone yet. Patty was good, but she wasn't _that_ good. At least, Lorelai didn't think so. She looked at Patty questioningly and noticed the dreamy look on her face. Realizing she must have missed something, Lorelai replayed Patty's comments in her head. "Oh my God. You saw Luke in a towel? When?" Lorelai practically shouted.

Patty emerged from her reverie, a very large grin on her face. "Yesterday. In the diner. I caught him trying to sneak in the back door wearing nothing more than a little scrap of Terry Cloth." She winked at Lorelai. "You are one lucky lady to be privy to that delicious ass every night."

"Uh, thanks Patty," Lorelai said with a mixture of horror and amusement in her voice. "Well, we should be going."

"Give him a kiss for me," Patty called as Lorelai and Rory quickly strode to the diner.

Lorelai flung open the door, anxious to see Luke. It felt like they'd been separated for days and not mere hours. Instead, she was suddenly surrounded by people hugging her and grabbing at her as they chattered excitedly. Bewildered, she caught Luke's eye as he rushed past with some orders. He shrugged and gestured to the specials sign with his head, his expression indicating that he was clearly not amused.

She craned her neck, trying to see what it said, but Kirk was blocking her view as he rambled on and on about ducks, llamas, and rings.

"Leave her alone, Kirk," Luke hissed as he breezed past again.

"But I was just suggesting how it would be a unique idea to involve animals in the photographs-"

"Sit down, Kirk. Your 'blackened toast' is getting cold." As Luke disappeared into the kitchen, Kirk shoved a business card into Lorelai's hand and rushed back to his spot at the counter.

The rest of the town surged around her, each person trying to get her attention. Somehow, amid the chaos, Rory managed to catch her mother's arm and pry her away from the local loonies. She dragged her over to the only empty table and they both sat down. The crowd dispersed and headed back to their meals.

Luke returned from the kitchen, and after delivering meals to some of his customers, he came to their table, coffee pot in hand. "Bunch of nut jobs in this town," he grumbled as he filled their cups.

Lorelai took a sip. "What was that all about?"

Luke pointed to the specials sign again, and this time Lorelai could see that it read: 'Luke's Engagement Burger with Rings: $3.75.' She exchanged a look with Rory and burst out laughing. "Guess we've been outted, huh? What, you couldn't wait until tomorrow?"

"It wasn't me." He glared at Lane who was talking to Kirk at the counter. "What the hell is an Engagement Burger anyway?" he ranted.

"I don't know, but it sounds kind of good." Lorelai's stomach grumbled.

Luke glared at her. "Of course you would think so. Everybody and their uncle is ordering it, why shouldn't you? Never mind the fact that it's 7:30 in the morning."

Lorelai looked at him for a moment, considering how far she should push him. "I think I'll have waffles, and bacon, and pancakes."

"Me too," Rory added quickly. "I have an exam this morning, I need my strength,"

Luke raised his eyebrow sceptically. "No 'Engagement Burger'?"

"Nah. I hear it's highly overrated," Rory told him.

"And I got the real deal last night." Lorelai smiled as she relived his proposal in her own mind.

Luke softened, his own thoughts straying to the night before. He leaned toward her, his breath warm against her ear as he whispered, "That you did. I missed you last night." She smiled at his confession as he moved to kiss her on the forehead.

Before Lorelai could respond Babette shouted, "You call that a kiss, Luke? You gotta give your fiancée a little somethin', somethin'. You're engaged now, no one here minds if you plant one on 'er."

Luke rolled his eyes as the diner broke into a barrage of hooting and cat calling. "It's none of your damn business," he growled, causing the diner to fall silent. "This town is insane."

"You're only figuring this out now?" Rory asked.

"No, but I swear, they get crazier by the day." He glared at them all again before continuing to jot down Rory and Lorelai's orders. "Your breakfast will be up in a bit." With that, he vanished, leaving Rory and Lorelai to giggle at his grumpy state.

xxxxx

The diner had cleared out a bit by the time Luke brought them their food. After ensuring that Caesar and Lane had it covered, Luke came over with his plate of eggs and multigrain toast and sat down next to Lorelai.

"So Rory, are you feeling better today?" Luke asked as he took a sip of his orange juice.

Rory swirled the syrup from her waffles around her plate with her fork. "Yeah, I guess."

Luke frowned, noticing a haunted look in her eyes. He started to ask her another question when Lorelai gently put her hand on his arm to stop him. When he looked at her questioningly, she leaned over and whispered, "Rory and Logan broke up last night. It was kind of... ugly. I'll tell you more about it later."

Lorelai planted a quick kiss along the top of his jaw before returning to her pancakes and changing the subject. "So, I hear Miss Patty saw you in the towel yesterday," she said innocently, a gleam in her eye.

Luke choked on the mouthful of eggs he was eating. He washed it down with a sip of orange juice, a subtle blush rising as his coughing subsided. "What?"

"Miss Patty mentioned it when we bumped into her on our way over here this morning. Apparently you gave her quite the show. You must have forgotten that little detail."

Luke's blush deepened. "I did not. It was an accidental run in. How was I supposed to know she was lurking in the bathroom?"

Lorelai giggled. "Relax Luke, I'm just teasing. Patty was quite impressed is all. Wasn't she Rory?"

Rory glanced up, clearly startled by the sound of her name. "Huh? Uh yeah, she seemed impressed."

"You okay, hon?" Lorelai cast her a worried glance.

"I'm fine, just worried about my exam." Rory pushed her uneaten breakfast away. "I should probably get going."

Lorelai searched her daughter's face for clues about her state of being. "Okay, babe, good luck."

Rory gave her mother a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, Mom. Good luck with grandma."

Lorelai groaned. "Don't remind me. Are you sure you can't tell her for me?"

"I'm sure. It has to come from you. Besides, you'll have Luke for back up." She smiled at him encouragingly and he nodded his acknowledgement.

"Fine. Abandon me in my time of need," Lorelai called out dramatically as Rory exited the diner with a wave.

"So, is Rory really okay?" Luke gestured toward the uneaten breakfast.

"I think so." Lorelai took a deep breath and prepared to launch into a full scale freakout about how she felt about Logan showing up drunk and forcing himself on Rory. Instead, her phone rang and she dug it out of her pocket, examining the caller id.

Luke growled and pointed to the 'No Cell Phones' sign but dropped his arm when she mouthed, 'Doctor'.

"Hello?" she answered the phone, nodding at Luke to confirm that it was indeed the doctor from the hospital.

"Yes, this is Lorelai Gilmore." She stood up and moved toward the curtain, gesturing for Luke to follow her.

They sat down on the second to last step, their heads pressed together with Lorelai holding the phone between them so that they could both hear.

"I have received the results of your pregnancy test from the lab," Dr. Hooper said. "I'm sorry it took so long, there was an equipment failure, so all tests were delayed."

"That's okay." Lorelai grasped Luke's hand and shot him a nervous glance as they strained to hear the doctor.

"So you have two options, Ms. Gilmore. I can give you the results of the test right now, over the phone. Or, if you prefer a more personal setting, we can set up an appointment."

Luke squeezed her hand and shook his head. 'Now,' he mouthed. He tapped his feet' anxious to know if one of his greatest dreams was about to come true.

Lorelai smiled, touched by his nervousness. "Over the phone is fine, Dr. Hooper. Please, just tell me."

They heard a shuffling of papers as the doctor searched for the right one. After what felt like an eternity he said, "The lab results indicate that you are currently almost 5 weeks pregnant. Congratulations, Ms. Gilmore."

Lorelai sat stunned, her eyes beginning to stream with tears as she processed the news. She'd been too afraid to hope for this, and suddenly it was real. She'd never been happier in her life. She was pregnant with Luke's baby. She turned to him, beaming as she shared this moment of joy with him. His own eyes were brimming with moisture as he clutched her hand tightly.

"Ms. Gilmore?" Dr. Hooper said through the phone.

Lorelai startled. "Sorry. I'm here. Thank you for calling."

"You're welcome," he said genuinely. "Now, you will need to start taking a prenatal vitamin and you should make an appointment soon with an OBGYN so you can make sure that everything is going smoothly. Congratulations again."

Lorelai said good bye and closed the phone, letting it fall into her lap as Luke gathered her into his arms. He kissed the top of her head, his heart lighter than air. He was going to be a father with the woman he loved most in the world. The woman who'd just agreed to be his wife. It didn't get better than this.

He cupped her cheek and turned her face up to his. Their eyes locked and he felt a frisson of energy surge through them. He loved her more in that moment than he'd ever thought possible. He leaned in, his eyes still fixed on hers as he brushed his lips against hers. He kissed her tenderly, her lips silky and sweet beneath his own.

She pressed against his mouth, soaking up his love and offering hers in return. They deepened the kiss, and Lorelai moaned as Luke sucked gently on her bottom lip. Her tongue found his and they duelled passionately, their breathing becoming erratic as their desire for each other intensified.

Luke rested his palm against her stomach, in awe of the life that was growing inside of her. He sucked her lip again, this time biting it before releasing her slowly and leaning back to gaze at her. There was something deeply primordial and erotic about the woman he loved carrying his child, and he was suddenly overcome with an aching need to feel her flesh against his.

Completely oblivious to their surroundings, he pulled her to a sitting position and swept off her sweater. Caught in the same tidal wave of need, Lorelai frantically tugged at the buttons of his shirt. She grasped the base of his flannel and t-shirt and pulled them over his head in one fell swoop. Her hands roamed over his chest, as his fiddled with the clasp on her bra.

He groaned, the sight of her naked torso causing painful tension in the vicinity of his groin. Maybe it was just his imagination, but he could have sworn her breasts already looked fuller and her abdomen swollen. He pushed her back against the steps and nibbled her ear, blowing softly on the tender skin behind it. Lorelai shivered, as a flutter of pleasure stirred within her lower body.

Lorelai opened her mouth to tell him that the step was digging into her back and it hurt. Instead, she moaned as Luke trailed kisses down her neck. All thoughts of her discomfort fled as he began nipping and pulling teasingly at her taught skin, winding his way to her breasts. He traced a long, wet trail through the valley of her cleavage with his tongue, sending tremors of bliss racing through her. Their eyes met as he began to lick and kiss the satiny skin of her supple mounds, slowly approaching the tight buds at their tips.

Lorelai gasped as the edges of his lips finally made contact with the sensitive end of her right breast, while his hand slowly kneaded the other. She arched her back, revelling in the sensation as his other hand caressed her belly. He transferred his attention to the opposite side, the hand on her stomach continuing its dissent.

He deftly unfastened the button on her jeans, and ceased his suckling to slide them over her hips. Lorelai groaned in protest when he pulled away, even as she shifted uncomfortably, the stair behind her digging further into her back. Taking advantage of the temporary loss of contact, she began to ease herself up to the stairs, butt first.

Luke quickly removed his own jeans and followed, catching up and grasping her thighs above the knee, just as she reached the top. Lorelai stilled, her breathing laboured and her chest pounding as she anticipated his next move. He spread her legs apart and pressed a moist kiss to the inside of her left knee. He made his way along her thigh, licking and nibbling at the tender flesh. He paused near the top, and she could feel his heavy breaths through the rapidly moistening fabric of her panties. He blew on them softly before flashing a teasing grin and repeating his actions along her other thigh.

By the time he was done, she was squirming, her hands squeezing her own breasts. "Please, Luke," she gasped, her eyes murky with wanton desire.

"As you wish," Luke replied, dipping his head toward the zenith before him. He dragged his tongue along the contours of her lace panties, relishing in her scent for a moment before hooking his fingers into the band and sliding them over the length of her legs. He lowered his head and tasted her, lapping at her dampness while she writhed above him.

His tongue flicked at her most sensitive spot relentlessly, as she began to buck her hips. Her breathing became erratic and he plunged two fingers deep inside her. She gasped and her hands slid to her nipples, twisting and pinching as Luke began to quicken his pace. She was inundated with sensation as he brought her to the brink, and suddenly she was engulfed in a wave of pleasure so intense she had tears streaming down her face.

When her breathing finally began to return to normal, she opened her eyes to see Luke hovering above her. He bent to kiss her, his lips fusing to hers in loving adoration. Their gentle kisses quickly escalated to frenetic levels and Luke was overcome with the need to bury himself inside her. Luke positioned himself at her entrance and slowly lowered himself into her.

He stilled for a moment, allowing her body to accommodate him before he began to move. He sank into her again and again, his tongue entwined with hers as they soon found a rhythm together. His breathing became laboured as stroke after stroke brought them both closer to the edge. Lorelai ground her hips against him, the friction causing them both to moan. Luke quickened his pace and buried himself deep within her as he felt her spasm around him. Lorelai cried out against his lips, and he tumbled after her, lost in the pure enjoyment of her love.

He collapsed against her, his breath still wheezy as he slowly became aware of their surroundings.

"Wow," Lorelai whispered, "I should find out that I'm pregnant more often, 'cause that was amazing."

"You're amazing," he replied, brushing her hair out of her eyes, "And I adore you." He rolled off her and pulled her to her feet before engulfing her in a firm embrace and dragging her through the door of his apartment for round two.

 _TBC_

xxxxx

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Extra A/N: "Engagement Burger with Rings" was all BOOM's brilliant idea, so I can't take credit. Thanks again for helping me brainstorm.


	8. Approbation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: How are we at chapter 8 already? I feel like I just started writing this story yesterday. I hope you enjoy my first foray into the minds of Richard and Emily Gilmore. I hope you don't mind me posting this a teeny bit early... LOL
> 
> Jewels12, you are my rock in so many ways. You constantly encourage me to learn and grow as a writer just by being yourself. Thank you for all your kind words, laughter, comments and suggestions.

**Approbation**

Lorelai sat in the passenger seat of Luke's truck, fidgeting nervously as he drove toward Hartford. They'd left earlier than they'd first anticipated, deciding that Emily wouldn't expect them to drink before noon and therefore wouldn't become suspicious about Lorelai's current condition.

"You're sure we shouldn't just tell them about the baby too?" Luke shot her a nervous look of his own.

"I'm sure. If Emily Gilmore finds out that I'm pregnant when we tell her that we are engaged, she's going to assume that we are only getting married because of the baby. I want my parents to know that I'm marrying you because I've never loved anyone as much as I love you." She picked up his hand and planted a soft kiss on his palm before lowering it to her lap and grasping it with her own hand.

"But won't she do the math and still come to the same conclusion once we _do_ tell her?"

Lorelai shrugged. "She might, but that's why I've decided to launch, 'Operation: Make Emily and Richard fall in love with Luke before they find out about the baby.'"

"That's quite the mouthful," Luke said dryly, a smile teasing the edges of his lips.

Lorelai leaned back and looked upward thoughtfully. "Yeah, it is a bit wordy. Maybe I should just make it, 'Operation: Luke Loving.'?" She cast him a flirtatious glance.

Luke groaned, remembering their early morning exploits. "Lorelai, you're not still referring to your parents are you?"

"Oh, that's the beauty of it. It works both ways, it's a double entendre..." she trailed off. "Oh. We're here."

Luke gazed up at the massive home before him. It never ceased to make him feel like he was merely three inches tall. "Yup. We're here."

Neither of them moved. "We should-" Lorelai began, the knot of dread in her stomach twisting furiously.

"We _should_ ," Luke agreed, still making no effort to move.

"Maybe we should just send them an invitation, tell them that way?"

Luke shook his head and opened his door. "No, we need to tell them now. Let's get this over with."

Coming around to her side, he helped her out of the truck. She clung to his hand desperately; the knot in her stomach now doing back flips and cartwheels. Slowly they walked toward the elaborately carved front door, each preoccupied with their own private thoughts of impending doom.

Lorelai took a deep breath and raised her finger to the doorbell. They could hear it chiming throughout the expansive house. The door swung open and they were greeted by a very frazzled and timid looking maid whom neither of them had ever seen before.

"C-c-can I help you?" she enquired, her voice shaking with fear as she glanced around uneasily.

Before either of them could respond they heard the commanding voice of Emily Gilmore. " _May_ I help you, Graciella. We say, 'may I', not, 'can I'..." She stopped abruptly as she spotted Luke and Lorelai standing in the doorway. "Oh. Lorelai, Luke. Were we expecting you?"

"Uh... no, Mom. We were just in the neighbourhood and we thought we'd pop in for a minute."

"You were in the neighbourhood?" Emily's eyes narrowed; she was clearly suspicious that something was up.

"Yes, Mom, we were. We're on our way to visit Sookie at Hartford Memorial. Is Dad around? We'd like to speak to both of you."

"Yes. He's in his study." Sighing, Emily opened the door wider. "Well, I guess you'd better come in. I'll go get your father and then maybe you'll tell us why you're _really_ here."

"Mom, I told you-" Lorelai began, but she was speaking to thin air.

Emily marched off shouting, "Graciella, bring our guests some coffee and tea please." There was a clattering sound. "Oh, for heaven's sake -"

Lorelai shrugged and led Luke into the living room. She plopped onto the couch and pulled him down beside her.

"Lorelai, you probably shouldn't be drinking coffee now, either." Luke looked at her wearily, hoping she wouldn't freak out.

"Luke, I have to face my parents in a few minutes. If ever there was a situation that required caffeine, this is it. Little Horace will survive."

"Horace?"

Patting her stomach Lorelai smiled at him playfully. "Don't you like it?"

"Not particularly." Luke shook his head rapidly. "At least make it decaf."

"And hand my mother a flashing neon sign that says, 'Surprise, I'm pregnant and unwed... again'? I don't think so."

Luke sighed in resignation. "Fine. One cup of coffee."

"Yes!" Lorelai threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into a brief hug. Just then, the maid walked in and set down a platter holding a tea pot, a silver coffee pot, and four mugs.

Graciella served them with shaking hands and left the room in a hurry as she heard Emily approaching. Emily marched into the room with Richard trailing her, his nose stuffed into a book.

Emily sat in the chair nearest Lorelai and crossed her arms. "Richard, do sit down so Lorelai can fill us in on the reason for this unexpected visit."

Richard paused and lowered his book. He pulled his glasses down to the tip of his nose and peered at his daughter and her 'beau'. "Oh. Hello, Luke. Nice to see you again. Lorelai, what brings you here?" he said, nodding toward his daughter as he sat on the stiff looking chesterfield.

Lorelai eyed her parents wearily and groped for Luke's hand. He promptly took it and gave it a gentle squeeze, encouraging her to go for it. "Good news, actually. Well, _we_ think it's good news anyway, and Rory does too. We wanted to tell you before we told the town, but it leaked out because Lane wrote it on the specials board, so I hope you're not mad. We really were intending to tell you first, and I haven't even told Sookie yet, so at least you'll know before someone this time, and -"

Emily cut her off briskly, "Lorelai, just tell us whatever it is you came to tell us. Your father has some work to do, and I have a luncheon this afternoon with the D.A.R."

Lorelai shot an anxious glance at Luke before turning back to her parents. He squeezed her hand again and she instantly felt more at ease. She took a deep breath and leaped off the cliff. "Mom, Dad, last night Luke asked me to marry him, and I said yes." She held up her left hand and beamed at them. "We're engaged."

Richard looked at his daughter for a moment before shifting his gaze to the man sitting beside her. Luke was gazing at Lorelai with such a look of adoration shining in his eyes that Richard was positive he was completely in love with his daughter. He may not have approved of the man's employment and background, but Luke would certainly be able to provide for his daughter and granddaughter. And Lorelai deserved to have love in her life. All he ever really wanted was for her to be happy. And Luke made Lorelai happy - that was evident from the radiant glow that had been emanating from her since she'd arrived. In fact, he wasn't sure he'd seen his daughter this happy in a long time.

While Richard was wrapped up in his silent monologue, Emily took Lorelai's hand and studied the ring. "This is a quality piece of jewellery, Luke. I'm certain it must have cost more than a diner owner could afford."

Lorelai stiffened and cast a worried look Luke's way. Luke gripped her hand tighter for a moment, fighting to control his temper. After a deep breath, he turned toward Emily and said plainly, "It was my mother's."

Emily stared at him in surprise, her face softening as she saw a hint of deep pain buried within his steady gaze. She looked down at the ring again, trying to see it through his eyes. She could appreciate that its worth was far above any dollar amount. Remembering that Luke had lost his mother at a young age, Emily realized the significance of his giving _this_ ring to her daughter. She looked up at him, moisture dotting her eyes. "I'm sorry Luke. I didn't realize..."

Nodding to indicate his acceptance of her apology, Luke offered a small smile and said, "It's okay, you didn't know."

Emily examined him for a moment. He may not be the man she would have picked for Lorelai, but she clearly meant a lot to him and vice versa. Perhaps it would be best if she showed some sort of support for this union. Her relationship with Lorelai was still rocky after the mess Christopher had made of things and she didn't want to do anything to jeopardize their current truce. She'd come to look forward to whatever limited time she could spend with her daughter. No, she couldn't risk losing that. Emily plastered a smile on her face and steeled herself to eat some humble pie. "Well, it's about time. I was beginning to think you'd end up being an old spinster, surrounded by cats. I suppose we'll have to move Aunt Cecile after all."

Loreali gapped at her mother, trying to process what had just happened. Finally, she decided to respond with a joke. "Believe me, Mom, the spinster thing had crossed my mind. You should have seen my freak-out the day several stray cats arrived on my doorstep."

"I can only imagine," Emily responded dryly.

Luke leaned in and whispered, "Who is Aunt Cecile?"

Richard heard him and piped in, "Vile woman, she told the most terrible jokes." He shuddered.

Luke furrowed his brow. "Why would you have to move her?"

"So that you can be buried with Lorelai," Emily replied matter-of-factly.

Horrified, Luke stared at her, open mouthed. "What? How did we get from the engagement to burial?"

Lorelai shook her head, "Ours is not to question why, especially when it comes to Gomez and Morticia Addams, here."

"Lorelai," Emily said warningly.

"Mom," Lorelai matched her mother's tone. "Come on, this is just as disturbing as it was when we first discussed it three years ago. You have to admit it is kind of morbid."

Emily sighed. "How is ensuring that your future husband is buried with you in the family mausoleum, morbid?"

"You have a mausoleum?" Luke shot Lorelai a questioning look.

"Yup. It`s just like the ones on _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ , but far creepier." Lorelai turned back to her mother. "Can we please change the subject? You're scaring Luke. Besides, I'd prefer to at least have set a wedding date before you start plotting our deaths."

Emily relented, "Fine. I guess we should celebrate. Shall I have Graciella pour us some Champagne?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Emily," Richard cut in, "It's not even 10:00 in the morning. We'll save the Champagne for the engagement party we're going to throw for you." He looked at Lorelai.

"Oh, Dad, you don't have to do that." She cast an anxious glance at Luke. Hiding her pregnancy was going to be harder than she'd thought.

"Of course we do. You're getting married and there are certain procedures that one must follow."

Emily immediately jumped into planning mode; throwing them a party was a perfect idea. "Yes. We can announce the engagement in the paper this week. Lorelai, I'll need a recent picture of you and Luke for that. And it needs to be something respectable," she added warningly.

"Nuts. That means the one with the antlers is out." Realizing that there would be no stopping her parents, now, Lorelai leaned into Luke, enjoying the show.

"Lorelai," Emily said indignantly, "please take this seriously. It's _your_ engagement party." She turned to her husband. "Oh, Richard, we'll have to invite the Doners, and the Horns."

Richard nodded thoughtfully. "I'll give them a call tomorrow."

"Great." Emily's mind was whirring as she considered the guest list. "We can even invite some of the people from your town if you like. I'll need the list by Tuesday, we'll have the party next Friday."

"You want to invite people from Stars Hollow?" Lorelai marvelled, imagining Babette and Miss Patty inside the Gilmore Mansion. They would have a field day.

"Well, they are your friends, aren't they? I thought you might like to celebrate with them as well."

"Yes, but they will probably throw us a party, too." At her mother's expression, Lorelai sighed. "We'll get you the list by Tuesday."

"Thank you, Lorelai, I appreciate it."

Richard and Emily began to discuss the guest list, both of them completely ignoring Luke and Lorelai. Lorelai sipped at her cold coffee and watched them closely, trying to figure out what her parents were actually thinking. When her attempts to read their thoughts failed, she set down the coffee and stood up, clearing her throat. "Well, we should get going. Sookie and Jackson are expecting us at the hospital."

Emily stood. "Oh yes, send her our regards. What was it she had again?"

"A baby."

"I know she had a baby, Lorelai, but what kind was it?"

"An elephant."

"Lorelai."

"She had a girl, Mom. They named her Martha."

"A fine name," Emily said approvingly.

While Lorelai and Emily chattered, Richard silently approached Luke and clapped him on the back. "You'll take good care of her and Rory?"

"I always have, sir. I've been looking out for them for as long as I can remember. It's become as natural as breathing for me."

"Good, good. You make sure you keep it that way."

"I will. I love your daughter. You have no idea how much."

Richard looked over at his wife who was now migrating toward the front door with Lorelai. He smiled after her fondly and said, "Actually, I think I do."

Luke followed Richard's gaze as they trailed the girls. "Yes. I guess you would know. I want that too, with Lorelai."

"What about me?" Lorelai asked as the men entered the foyer.

"You're a pain in the butt," Luke teased.

"That's what makes me so charming."

"Charming isn't quite the adjective I would use."

"Beautiful? Adorable? Irresistible?"

"Crazy."

"Hey, now. Be nice."

"When have I ever been nice?"

"That's true, I am talking to Grumpy McGee, after all."

Richard and Emily watched the exchange in bemusement, both struck by how at ease Lorelai was as she joked with Luke. They didn't have the opportunity to see her this way very often and Emily quite enjoyed it.

The sound of the ringing telephone caused both of them to jump, suddenly realizing where they were.

"Congratulations," Richard said as he shook Luke's hand and pulled Lorelai into an awkward hug.

"Thank you, Dad." They put their coats on and opened the front door.

"We'll see you both for dinner Friday," Emily called after them.

Lorelai stopped. "This Friday? But Luke –"

Emily rolled her eyes. "Luke owns the business. He can take the time off whenever he wants. It's time we got to know our future son-in-law a little better."

Lorelai sent Luke an apologetic look. "Until Friday, then," she shouted behind her as she made a bee-line for Luke's truck.

They both climbed in and sat still as statues for a moment. Finally, Luke broke the silence. "I couldn't tell if they were actually happy or just pretending and secretly imagining my head on a platter."

"For Emily and Richard that was damn near ecstatic."

"Gee, I'd hate to see exuberant."

"There's dancing involved," Lorelai joked as Luke pulled out of the driveway. "In all seriousness though, who can ever tell what Richard and Emily Gilmore are thinking? At the very least they seem to have accepted us as 'an us'. I'm sorry about the Friday Night dinner thing."

"It was inevitable. Besides, your mother is right, I should get to know them better."

Lorelai shot him a look. "You're nuts, you know that? I assure you that by Friday you will be regretting those words."

"Yeah, well, what can I say? You've got me under your spell and that means I'm stuck with a crazy person _and_ her parents."

"Wow, you must really love me if you're willing to brave my parents on a regular basis."

"You're right, what was I thinking? I should have asked Gypsy to marry me instead. She's much saner," he teased.

"Hey!" Lorelai pretended to pout.

"Don't worry, sanity is overrated. I love you, my little psychopath."

Lorelai grinned at him. "The feeling's mutual, my big flannel man."

Luke's gruff laugh made her giggle as she huddled into her seat with an expression of deep contentment etched on her face.

 _TBC_

xxxxxx


	9. Nourishment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **_A/N:_ ** _I’m a little early again, but I know you all won’t mind. Once again I must express my overwhelming gratitude to my extraordinary beta **Jewels12.** This chapter would never have been as miraculously error free as it was without your patient and gentle teaching. Happy Birthday, **Jewels** – this chapter is dedicated to you._

**Nourishment**

Sookie was sitting up in the hospital bed and gazing lovingly at her daughter. She was so fresh and full of that new baby smell. Lorelai was right, baby girls smelled pink.

The door opened and she looked up to see Jackson enter the room carrying Davey in his arms. “Look who came to meet his baby sister!”

Sookie smiled. “Davey, Mommy has missed you.” Jackson placed the small boy on the bed and he immediately crawled up to his mother’s side and tried to climb onto her lap, pushing Martha away. Sookie quickly adjusted her position so there was room for both of them and helped Davey get settled. She gave him a one armed hug and brought Martha closer. “Davey, this is your new sister, Martha.”

Davey stuck his thumb into his mouth and eyed the infant wearily. Her eyes were closed but she was squirming slightly. A moment later, she let out a deafening squawk and Davey promptly covered his ears and buried his face, complete with runny nose, into his mother’s armpit. “Stop, stop, stop,” he screamed, adding to the noise.

Jackson expertly scooped him up and hugged him tight, rubbing Davey’s back soothingly. Sookie turned her attention to Martha who was now groping hungrily with her lips. Once Martha was nursing happily and Davey had calmed down, Sookie focused on her husband. Davey was clinging to Jacksons shirt, his tear-stained eyes fixed on his mother and sister.

“You sure you still want to have four in four?” Sookie asked.

Jackson glanced from Martha’s suckling mouth to Davey’s snotty nose and nodded hesitantly. “Uh, I think so.”

Sookie gave Jackson an appraising look and said softly, “You could always... you know…” She blushed and made a snipping motion with her fingers.

Jackson took a step backward, his eyes wide. “What?!” Davey startled at the loud voice and began to cry again.

As Jackson soothed their eldest child, Sookie shrugged and tried to explain, “You could always, get... you know, snipped. We don’t _have_ to have four in four. We’ve already got one of each.” She stared at Martha, marvelling at the infant’s natural instinct for nursing.

Shaking his head, Jackson came closer and settled himself in the chair next to the bed. “I don’t want to get snipped,” he said, “I want four in four. Four is a good number.” Davey flinched again, and Jackson lowered his voice. “The thought of four of these is just a little overwhelming right now. But we’ll get the hang of it, and I think we should stick to our original plan.” He studied his wife. “That is, if you want to. I love you, Sookie, and if you want to change your mind, I’ll respect that.”

Tears were beginning to swim in her eyes as she replied, “Oh, Jackson, of course I want to. We make beautiful babies.”

Jackson stood up and settled Davey onto the chair he’d just vacated. He approached his wife and stooped down to kiss her lightly on the lips. Just as their lips met, the door swung open and they could hear Lorelai saying, “We’re he... oh, sorry.” She and Luke began to back out of the room.

“Lolai,” Davey screamed excitedly, as he turned onto his tummy and wiggled off the chair. As soon as his feet hit the ground, he ran toward Lorelai, his arms open. Lorelai and Luke halted their retreat and she crouched down to catch the boy. Just as he reached her, he lost his balance and landed on his diaper padded bottom. “Ooof,” he exclaimed, before reaching out to Lorelai again and saying, “Up.”

Lorelai scooped the toddler into her arms and stood as he planted sloppy kisses on her cheeks. Luke leaned against the doorframe and watched as she interacted with Davey. He couldn’t help smiling as he imagined her with their baby. She was such a good mother; he hoped he could be even half as good of a father.

Jackson had pulled away from Sookie when Davey had spoken and now they were both observing the scene in the doorway intently. Martha had finished eating and was sleeping contently in Sookie’s arms. “Hi, Luke,” she called softly, “Come over and meet Martha Janice Lori Ethan Rupert Glenda Carson Daisy Danny.”

“That’s quite the mouthful.” Luke entered the room and approached Sookie and Martha. She offered him the baby and he accepted her, awkwardly trying to position the baby in his arms. Lorelai shifted Davey to her hip and came up behind him. She reached over with her free hand and helped him to settle the infant in the crook of his arm. Luke gazed down at Martha, a look of wonder on his face. “Wow, she’s so little. I didn’t know they came this small.”

Lorelai giggled. “Didn’t you see Jess when he was a baby?”

“Well, yes, but Jess was the size of a giant watermelon.” Luke grasped Martha’s hand, marvelling at her perfectly pink fingernails. “So tiny.”

Lorelai felt herself melting as Luke inspected Martha. He counted her fingers and toes, clearly awestruck. She passed Davey to Sookie and allowed her thoughts to dwell on what an amazing father Luke was going to be to their baby. Her hand unconsciously drifted to her stomach as she pictured him inspecting their newborn son or daughter with the same earnestness. Lorelai felt her knees weaken as she began to realize for the first time just how different this pregnancy was going to be for her. When she’d had Rory 20 years earlier, she’d been virtually alone. This time she wouldn’t be. Luke would be there with her every step of the way and the thought filled her with happiness and warmth so strong she almost felt like crying.

“Honey, are you okay?” Sookie asked, touching Lorelai’s arm gently, concern etched across her face.

“I’m fine, Sook. I’m better than fine.” Lorelai tore her gaze away from Luke and Martha and focused on her friend.

Sookie examined Lorelai, noticing a glow and a flush that she hadn’t seen in a long time. “You look happy.”

Lorelai beamed. “I am happy.” She held out her left hand for Sookie to see.

“EEeeeeeeeeeee! Oh my God!” Sookie squealed. She began to flap her arms, causing Davey to back away from his mother. He reached the edge of the bed and Jackson grabbed him just in time. Sookie flung herself at Lorelai, pulling her into an enthusiastic hug.

“Sookie, you need to lie down. You’ve just had a baby.” Lorelai shook her head at her friend’s bizarre position on the bed.

Sookie untangled herself from the blankets and settled back against her pillow, flapping her hands again. “Oh, Lorelai. You’re engaged, you and Luke. Luke and you.” Luke looked up from Martha and rolled his eyes, causing Lorelai to giggle as Sookie continued, “Oh. It’s just so perfect. It’s about time. I’m so happy for you.”

Lorelai laughed, Sookie’s excitement was making her giddy. “Thank you, Sookie.”

Sookie looked over at the men, and fought a giggle as she caught sight of the matching bemused expressions on their faces and Davey’s. “Here, Luke, I’ll take Martha, why don’t you, Jackson and Davey take a walk while I force _your fiancée_ to fill me in on all the details. _Fiancée._ Don’t you just love the sound of that?”

While Sookie continued to babble, Lorelai reached for the baby. “Here, let me take her. I haven’t held her yet. You go gossip with the boys.”

Luke stood up and handed her the baby, careful to support Martha’s head. “Boys don’t gossip,” he growled.

Lorelai grinned at him teasingly. “Fine, go grunt or whatever it is you men do when you bond.”

Luke shook his head and bent down to capture her lips with his in a tender and lingering kiss. When he straightened he looked at her intently before saying, “We don’t grunt.”

“Whatever.” She waved her hand dismissively. “Go. We’ve got girly bonding to do,” Lorelai told him as she shifted closer to Sookie.

Luke shook his head and shared an eye roll with Jackson. “Women,” he muttered under his breath as he followed Jackson and Davey into the hall.

xxxxx

“I can’t believe they’re really going to have four-in-four,” Luke marvelled as they exited the hospital. “The idea of one is enough of an adjustment.” Lorelai looked at him, startled, the knot in her stomach from earlier reforming as she worried he was having second thoughts. Noticing her expression, he quickly added, “Not that I’m not thrilled that we’re having a baby. But seeing Martha made me realize that in about eight months we’re going to have one of those – a living, breathing, crying, pooping, one of those. It’s just... wow...”

They had reached Luke’s truck and he held the passenger door open for her. She climbed in, and fastened her seatbelt then waited for him to be settled in his own seat before responding, “I know exactly what you mean, Luke. I felt the same way when I was first pregnant with Rory. Although, then I had the added panic of, ‘Oh my God, I’m pregnant and alone and unwed and 16 and my parents are going to kill me’.”

Luke flinched and reached for her knee, squeezing gently. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

Shrugging, Lorelai rubbed the back of his hand. “It’s okay, really. I think in some ways it made me a better mother to Rory. When she was born I was completely overcome with awe at this amazing life that I’d created.” She lifted his hand and pressed it gently to her stomach. “I can’t wait to share that feeling with you when this one is born.”

Luke swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he tried to contain the emotion that was threatening to bubble to the surface. He blinked several times, forcing himself to focus on the road. “I can’t wait for that either,” he whispered.

Lorelai transferred his hand from her stomach to her lap and grasped it firmly with her own. “So, my parents seem insistent on throwing us an engagement party.”

Luke smiled wanly, grateful for the change in topic. “They did seem rather intent on that.”

“Should I try to talk them out of it? Maybe I can tell them we have to leave the country, or you know, visit the beavers in Canada?”

Chuckling, Luke shook his head. “I think it’s nice that they want to do this for us. Besides, they seemed so excited, I wouldn’t want to disappoint them.”

“Then you’re with the wrong woman, hon, ‘cause disappointing them is all I seem to do.” Lorelai grimaced and took a deep breath. “Okay, so we let them throw the party.”

“Yes. Do you think she was serious about inviting people from Stars Hollow? Somehow I just can’t picture Kirk in their living room.” Luke shuddered.

Lorelai groaned, “I’m pretty sure she was serious. She’s been trying to get me to mesh my two worlds for years. I’m not sure I’m ready for this. My Stars Hollow universe and my ‘Gilmore House of Horrors’ upbringing were never meant to intertwine. My mind might implode.”

Rolling his eyes at her exaggeration, Luke said, “I think it’s thoughtful that she’s trying to include our friends.”

“You’re right. She is trying.” With a sigh, Lorelai rested her head against the side of the door. “So who should we invite?”

Luke stared thoughtfully through the windshield for a moment, turning toward the town square. “Sookie and Jackson?”

Lorelai nodded emphatically. “Definitely. Sookie would have my head if I didn’t invite her.” She was silent for several seconds. “We should probably invite Babette and Morey, and Miss Patty. They’d be crushed if they were left out.”

“Fine. But I draw the line at Taylor. Bad enough I have to see him every day through that stupid glass window,” Luke grumbled.

“I can live with that. Although, putting Taylor and my mother in the same room is an amusing idea. I know, sometime, we should lock them in a room together just to see who would lecture whom to death first. Personally, my money is on Emily. Once she gets going it’s hard to shut her up. However, Taylor is equally annoying if he gets going on a topic he’s passionate about – like ticks. Remember the ticks? So really, it could go either way.”

“Your mind is a strange and mysterious place.”

“Always.”

Luke sent her an exasperated look as he pulled up to the curb near the diner. “Let’s get back on topic, shall we?”

“Okay, okay. So we’ve got Sookie, Jackson, Miss Patty, Babette, and Morey.” She counted on her fingers as she spoke. “Oh, I know. We should invite Gypsy. My mother loved Gypsy when we had that impromptu wedding shower for her. Is there anyone else you think we should invite?”

Luke turned off the ignition and glanced at the diner. He could see Kirk in his usual spot at the counter. “That depends. How much whining am I going to be subjected to if we leave Kirk out of the equation?”

Lorelai pretended to consider the question seriously for a moment. “My guess is a lot. Kirk seems to have decided that you are his best friend forever, his buddy, his chum, his confident. If we don’t invite him, he’ll probably do something drastic, like jump in the lake.”

Sighing in defeat, Luke opened his door and slid out. “I hate that you’re right. Fine. Kirk can make the cut. Lulu too, I suppose. _Her_ I like.”

After slamming his door, Luke walked around the truck and opened her door. “Should I be jealous?” she teased, grabbing the hand he offered. Lorelai clambered out, managing to get her foot wrapped in the seat belt. Luke caught her easily and held her steady in his arms as she regained her balance. Her breathing quickened as she looked up and saw embers of passion blazing from the depths of his eyes.

“No, Lorelai. You should never be jealous,” he growled before pressing his lips to hers. He pulled her close, one hand on her ass, the other sitting at the base of her neck. He kissed her with fervour, reassuring her with each thrust of his tongue that she was the only one he ever wanted. Without severing the kiss, Luke gently guided her away from the door so he could close it. She leaned against the truck, the smooth metal cool at her back as Luke continued to devour her with kisses.

They were interrupted by a shrill wolf whistle and Luke felt himself flushing as he pulled away. “Now _that_ was a kiss,” Babette squawked, “You lucky doll.” She winked at Lorelai as she walked past.

Luke stepped back, creating distance between himself and Lorelai as he watched Babette disappear inside Miss Patty’s dance studio. For the second time that morning he’d managed to completely forget where he was and get caught up in his desire for her. _This is ridiculous_ , he thought, _I’m suddenly turning into a sex crazed teenager. Get it together, Danes._ He shoved his hands in his pockets and offered Lorelai a weak smile. “You wanna grab something to eat before you head over to the inn?”

Lorelai took a deep breath, and willed her heartbeat to return to normal. ‘Engaged Luke’ was all sorts of sexy and it was taking her breath away. Her stomach grumbled loudly and they both laughed, the sexual tension between them dissipating with each chortle. “I guess that’s a yes,” she told him.

Shaking his head, Luke led the way past Kirk, who had his face suctioned to the window closest to the truck, and into the diner.

xxxxx

Twenty minutes later, Lorelai was settled on the stool next to Kirk, a steaming cup of coffee, a giant cheeseburger and a plate overflowing with fries before her. She was shoving fries into her mouth at record speed and washing them down with coffee as Luke looked on, appalled.

“For crying out loud, slow down before you choke yourself.”

“Can’t... stop... must... eat,” she managed to say between mouthfuls.

“You disgust me.” Luke rolled his eyes and turned away as she took a huge bite of cheeseburger. He refilled Kirk’s mug with the proper proportions of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee.

“Thank you, Luke,” Kirk said demurely, reaching down and grabbing a bag from the floor. He set it on the counter and slid it toward Luke.

Baffled, Luke set the coffee pots down on their respective elements and pointed to the bag. “What the hell is that?”

“Your clothes, from the other day,” Kirk told him.

Lorelai snickered and Luke glared at her before pushing the bag away from himself. “I don’t want them back, Kirk.”

“But they’re yours.”

“It would have been nice if you’d remembered that _before_ you stole them. Now you can keep them.”

Kirk brightened. “Really? Now I have a flannel of my very own.” He set the bag at his feet again and stirred his coffee.

“Oh goody,” Luke moaned.

Oblivious to the sarcasm, Kirk changed the subject. “Hey, when did you get a dog?”

“What are you talking about? I don’t have a dog. I don’t even like dogs.”

Kirk frowned. “Oh. I was certain I heard a dog this morning when I was here for breakfast.”

Beside him, Lorelai was coughing as she choked on her burger and shot Luke a panicked look.

Luke glared at him. “No dogs here, Kirk.”

“Darn, I was hoping I could start my dog walking business again. I figured if someone as respected as you, used my services, then people might be willing to give me another chance. How was I supposed to know that dogs don’t know how to play hide-n-go-seek?”

Luke relaxed, realizing that Kirk didn’t have a clue what he’d heard. “I don’t know, Kirk. But I’m afraid I can’t help you.”

“Nuts. I was so sure. Oh, I know!” Kirk jumped off his stool. “Sookie just had a baby. I could offer her my child care services. Children know how to play hide-n-go-seek!” He slapped some bills on the counter and rushed out the door, heading toward Sookie’s.

Lorelai took a gulp of coffee, her coughs finally subsiding. Luke leaned on the counter and watched Kirk. “How long do you think it will take him to figure out that they’re not home from the hospital yet?”

“Probably less time than it will take him to figure out that Davey and Martha are far too young to play hide-n-go-seek,” Lorelai responded.

Luke glanced around the near empty diner and leaned in so that only Lorelai could hear him. “Promise me that Kirk will not be allowed anywhere near our child when she’s born.”

“She?” Lorelai raised her eyebrows.

“Just a feeling I have.” Luke shrugged. “Do you promise?”

Lorelai glanced out the window again and saw Kirk pounding relentlessly on the Bellville’s front door. “Oh God, yes. At all costs. We must keep _him_ away from Michel too. No “baby crepe” is allowed where my child is concerned.”

Luke frowned. “‘Baby crepe’?”

“How have I not told you this story? Oh my God, it’s hysterical. Okay, so I got this strange phone call from Michel one day...”

 _TBC_

xxxxx


	10. Interrogations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I think there will only be two more chapters to Secret Desires and Nameless Fears after this one. Not to worry. I'm not done with this tale at all. I fully intend to make it a series and we're coming up to a good natural break. So after chapter 12 I will take a short break (just in time for KC!) and then return with a sequel which will pretty much pick up where this one leaves off... perhaps with a slight time jump. Thank you to all of my readers for your comments and support, and most of all for reading. I hope you enjoy this next installment.
> 
> Jewels, as always your help and suggestions have been invaluable. You make all this possible. Thank you. *hugs*
> 
> Also, a quick shout out to Filo for helping me to fix the strange line about "orange". It's much better now, thanks.

**Interrogations**

Rory raced out of the elevator and up to the main desk of the Stamford Eagle Gazette in a panic. She'd had difficulties printing out samples of her writing and was running late for her interview. Or at least later than she'd wanted to be; she was only half an hour early instead of her usual hour.

"Hi Audrey, I'm here for a 3:00 interview with Stuart Wooles," Rory said, smiling.

Audrey grinned. "So you were short listed for the summer internship, huh? Congratulations. It's great to see you back."

"Thanks, Audrey. It's great to _be_ back. I missed this place."

"Well, we missed you too." She gestured to the pile of haphazard papers beside her. "Your organizational skills are tough to beat."

"Glad to know I made such an impact." Rory laughed. "So where should I wait?"

"They're in conference room C." Audrey pointed toward the news room. "We've set up a little waiting area outside the door. There's one other person before you."

"Great. Thanks, Audrey." Rory waved at the woman as she wandered toward the newsroom. She paused for a moment, taking in the familiar sounds and movements that accompanied the bustle of getting an issue to print. It had barely been a week, and yet it seemed like it had been an eternity since that fateful day when Mitchum had tried to ruin her.

So much had happened in a week– dumping Logan, moving back to Stars Hollow and starting her job at the bookstore, not to mention the insanity surrounding her mother's engagement to Luke. She was still reeling from the events that had lead to her breakup with Logan and as a result, she had thrown herself whole heartedly into the application process for this summer internship. She had made lists, written and rewritten her resume and cover letter, painstakingly poured over her old articles in an effort to choose the best ones.

She hadn't expected to hear from them so soon, and she was more nervous about the interview than she had anticipated. She needed more time. Time to reflect on the changes in herself that she'd recently discovered; time to sort them out and determine what she really wanted; time to regain confidence in her writing abilities. But she didn't have time, so here she was, back in the lion's den, despite her self-doubt.

Rory steeled herself and wove her way through the maze of cubicles to the hallway that held the conference rooms. There was already someone sitting in the lone chair outside of room C, so Rory opted to lean against the wall while she mentally rehearsed her answers to the potential interview questions that she'd devised the night before. She was contemplating whether her answer to, _why do you want this internship?,_ was too eager when her cell phone rang.

She rolled her eyes at the caller id; this was her mother's ninth call of the day. She pressed the phone to her ear, but before she could speak, her mother began babbling at a record-breaking speed.

"Oh good, I caught you. I need your opinion on something. I was just at a bridal store and I saw a bridesmaid dress I think would be perfect for you. It was red, with a beautiful teardrop neckline and an a-line skirt. I know it's a bit early to be shopping for dresses. Well, actually I don't, since we haven't picked a date yet. Although, Luke and I _were_ discussing maybe having the wedding in July, which is only 3 months away so really it's not too soon to be dress shopping at all. In fact, I'm actually behind in the shopping. OH! Maybe my mother will accept that as an excuse for not coming to dinner tonight. You're still coming right? It's Luke's first official dinner as an almost Gilmore."

Rory laughed. "Yes Mom, of course I'm coming. And Luke's not actually taking your name is he? 'Cause that would be kind of weird."

"Ro-ry. This is the 21st Century. We're a bit past all that patriarchical gobbledygook, don't you think? Why shouldn't he take my name?"

"Because Luke Gilmore sounds silly. Besides, Luke would never go for it."

Lorelai sighed audibly. "I hate it when you are right. Spoilsport."

"Just keeping it real." Rory noticed that the guy sitting on the chair outside the conference room was staring at her, probably sizing up the competition. She shuffled uncomfortably and lowered her voice. "Speaking of which, I really should go. It's almost time for my interview."

"Oh, was that today?" Lorelai asked, a note of mock-innocence detectable in her voice.

"Mom," Rory hissed, eying the stranger, who had turned back to the notebook in his lap. "You know very well it's today. We've only had about 8 conversations about it."

"You're snarky when you're nervous. I was only joking."

"This is no time for jokes."

The door to Conference Room C swung open and a timid looking red haired girl walked out and scampered off quickly. Stuart Wooles poked his head out of the room and called, "Jeffrey Wynam?"

The guy on the chair stood up abruptly, scattering the papers from his lap across the floor. "Uh, that's me," he said, frantically gathering his notes. When he had them all, he pushed his glasses back into place and followed Mr. Wooles into the room.

As soon as the door closed, Rory slid into the chair.

"What was all that about?" Lorelai asked.

"You heard that?"

"Well, I heard scuffling and stuff."

"Oh. The person before me dropped his things when he was called in."

" _His?_ Was he cute?"

"Mo-om, please. I just broke up with Logan. And no, he really wasn't. He was wearing an orange suit."

"Orange? Like a pumpkin?"

"No, orange like... I don't know, just orange, okay?" Rory glanced at the clock, realizing that she had less than 10 minutes before her interview. "I really have to go. I'll see you at dinner."

"You better. I want details." Lorelai's voice softened, "Good luck, hon. Break a leg... or whatever it is you break for interviews."

"Good luck is good enough. Thanks, Mom."

"Anytime. I love you, sweets."

Rory clicked her phone shut and turned off the ringer before shoving it into her bag and pulling out her interview notes.

Less than 10 minutes later the door swung open and 'orange boy' stepped out with a confident smile on his face.

"Rory Gilmore?" Rory sucked in her chest. _Showtime,_ she though grimly as she stood up and cast an envious glance at her predecessors' retreating form. Her last thought as she followed Stuart Wooles into the room was, _He'll probably get this internship instead, despite the ghastly suit._

xxxxx

Luke pulled at the uncomfortable object around his neck and grumbled, "I don't understand why I have to wear a tie. The collar should be enough."

Lorelai looked back at him sympathetically, her hand already hovering over the doorbell. "Because it's expected, and because Richard and Emily are going to be your future in laws and we want them to fall in love with you. Don't you remember 'Operation Luke Lovin'?'"

"I don't see what wearing a tie has to do with it," he muttered, taking his place next to her on the doorstep. Lorelai pressed the bell six times in a row and Luke cocked his head toward her. "You seem rather eager tonight. Usually you drag your feet when we come here."

Lorelai bounced impatiently on the balls of her feet and pressed the bell again. "I want to know how Rory's interview went."

Luke rolled his eyes. "Like you couldn't just call her... again."

"I can't. She got mad at me for calling too many times, I promised I'd wait until dinner." Lorelai glared at the closed door in front of her. "Where the hell is the maid?" She held her finger firmly on the bell for several seconds before Luke reached out and pulled her hand away.

"Calm down, will you? Rory's not even here yet," Luke said irritably, pulling at his tie again. "Are we still going to tell her about..." he glanced at Lorelai's stomach, "after dinner tonight?"

Before Lorelai could answer, a voice behind them said, "Tell me about _what_ after dinner tonight?"

Lorelai spun around, beaming brightly at her daughter. "Rory!" she squealed enthusiastically.

Rory gazed at her mother in confusion for a second before turning to Luke. "How much coffee has she had?"

"Too much."

Shaking her head adamantly, Lorelai claimed, "There is no such thing as too much coffee."

"True," Rory agreed. "So what are you planning to tell me?"

"That we've decided not to sell you to the Gypsies." Lorelai giggled.

"Riiight," Rory said dubiously. She was about to press for the real information when the door swung open to reveal a harried looking Emily.

"Finally!" Lorelai cried. "I was beginning to think you'd pulled a David Copperfield."

Emily sighed. "Will you please just come in?"

"Manners, Mom. What will your future son-in-law think?" Lorelai gestured to Luke and entered the foyer.

"Yes, well, if certain people would do their jobs and answer the door like they are supposed to, I would have been able to greet you pleasantly in the sitting room like usual," Emily raised her voice pointedly, glaring toward the kitchen.

Lorelai, Luke and Rory slipped off their jackets and Lorelai inquired, "New maid, Mom?"

"She won't be for long. Ruddy woman doesn't know a doorbell from a hole in the ground." Emily turned her attention back to her guests and noticed the coats dangling from their arms. "I suppose I will have to take those, too." She snatched them roughly and waved her left arm in the direction of the sitting room. Go, sit, have a drink. I'll join you after I finish murdering the maid." With that, Emily jammed their coats in a closet and stomped off in the direction of the kitchen.

At Luke's alarmed expression, Lorelai took his arm, leading him toward the sitting room. "Don't worry, she doesn't mean it... I don't think."

"Mom, of course she doesn't mean it. Grandma is just upset."

Lorelai stopped walking before they reached the sitting room and grabbed Rory's arm. "I'm dying to know. How was the interview?"

"I'll tell you when I tell Grandma and Grandpa."

"But I'm the mother. I should get to know first."

Rory shook her head. "Nope. You have to wait." She moved toward the sitting room again.

"Mean," Lorelai called after her, pouting.

Rory ignored her. "Hi, Grandpa." She walked over to him and gave him a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Rory," Richard said brightly. "How nice to see you." He stood and shook Luke's hand as he and Lorelai entered the room. "You made it. Would either of you like something to drink?"

"Sit and chat with Rory, Dad. Luke can get our drinks." Lorelai took her father's arm and guided him back to the chesterfield.

Richard gave her puzzled look. "But he's our guest."

"It's okay, Dad. Really, Luke is practically family now."

Richard's knees now touched the back of the chesterfield and he sat reluctantly and turned to Rory. "So, Rory, I assume your exams are finished now?"

While Rory chatted pleasantly with her grandfather, Lorelai settled herself on the other couch and watched as Luke poured club soda into a martini glass. He added an olive before pouring a small amount of scotch on the rocks into a glass for himself. Luke handed her the glass and sat beside her. "Thank you," she whispered, just as Emily entered the room, fuming.

"We might as well forget about dinner," Emily announced.

Richard's head snapped up. "What?"

"That idiot we've hired is gone. Nothing has been chopped, or baked. Dinner is ruined."

Lorelai stifled a giggle. "The maid ran away?"

"I just said that. Are you even listening? This is a disaster." Emily stomped her foot.

"Grandma, I'm sure it will be fine. We could just order a pizza or something."

Emily gapped at her granddaughter. "Order a pizza? But... but..."

Luke set his scotch on the table and stood up. "You don't need to order a pizza. I'm sure I can whip something up."

"I don't know, Luke." Emily frowned at him, her voice doubtful.

"I _do_ know how to cook, Mrs. Gilmore."

"Yes, but we aren't used to diner fare."

Lorelai jumped up at the condescension in her mother's voice. "Mom. Luke can cook fancy stuff too. Sookie's still bugging him about his lamb chop recipe. At least give him a chance."

"Lamb chops?" Richard's eyes lit up hopefully and Luke smiled at him.

Emily sighed. "Well, I suppose it's better than starvation."

"Just show Luke to the kitchen, Mom." Lorelai shook her head. Her mother really was a piece of work.

Emily spun around and marched through the dining room with Luke trailing behind her. As he passed Richard, Luke whispered, "I'll see what I can do about those chops."

xxxxx

About an hour later they were all seated at the dining room table, a feast set out before them. Luke had indeed managed to make his infamous lamb chops. Mashed potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower and asparagus were in accompaniment.

Emily was thoroughly impressed and had thanked Luke about 20 times since they'd been seated. "Really, Luke, you are wasting your time running a diner. With talent like yours you could easily run a successful five star restaurant."

"I agree, young man. This food is top notch." Richard cut off a moderately sized bite of lamb chop and chewed it enthusiastically.

"Thank you for the compliment, but I'm quite happy running the diner. This kind of cooking is more like a hobby."

Richard and Emily both set down their cutlery and stared at Luke. "A hobby is knitting, or decoupage. This is a talent," Emily told him sternly.

"She's right. I really think you should consider opening a proper restaurant. You could keep the diner open but have a respectable establishment as well. I'm sure my firm could help you with the insurance."

"Dad," Lorelai shouted, "Luke said he wasn't interested. Please just drop it and enjoy your meal." The silence that followed was deafening. Lorelai examined her own plate, pushing the green and orange vegetables further away from the other items and taking a huge bite of her potatoes.

Rory shifted awkwardly and attempted to change the subject. "So, I had my interview for that summer internship at the Stamford Eagle Gazette this afternoon."

Richard picked up his fork and took another bite of his dinner before looking at his granddaughter with interest. "Really? How did it go?"

"Pretty good, I think..." Rory bit her lip nervously, her eyes fixed on her mother. "Mitchum Huntzburger was there."

Lorelai paused, mid chew. "He was? Did he say anything about...?"

Rory shook her head. "No, he was the perfect professional. Such a hypocrite."

"Rory," Emily gasped. "Why would you say such a thing? Mitchum Huntzburger is the best in the business."

"He's also a world class jerk," Rory said plainly, causing both of her grandparents to gawk at her in shock.

"Rory," Richard said sternly, "I do not think it's advisable to speak about your boyfriend's father in such a way."

"He's not my boyfriend anymore." Rory winced as she heard the words. Even though it was the truth, it still hurt.

"But what happened?" Emily pressed. "You were so perfect for each other. Didn't they make such a beautiful couple, Richard?"

Rory stared at her plate. "I really don't want to talk about it," she whispered.

Richard saw the trace of pain in Rory's eyes and he softened. "So tell us more about this interview."

She smiled, grateful to her grandfather for dropping the subject. "The interview was great. None of their questions were surprising and I think I answered them well. Stuart, the editor, really seemed to like me. He laughed at the joke I told and he seemed impressed with my portfolio."

"That's wonderful news," Emily said genuinely.

Lorelai grinned at her daughter proudly. "Yes, sweets, it really is."

"When will you find out if you get it?" Luke asked her.

"They said they would let me know by the end of next week. They did say that it's between me and another person, though."

Richard's eyes narrowed. "Really? That seems rather unprofessional, don't you think?"

"It's unconventional, yes, but they said that we were really the only two who were properly qualified for the position."

Richard nodded. "Right. Well, make sure you keep us posted."

"I will, Grandpa."

"Good. We're very proud of you, no matter what," Emily assured her before turning to Luke and Lorelai. "Have you given any thought to where you might live once you're married?"

"That was out of the blue," Lorelai commented. "Where did that come from?"

Emily sighed. "I'm just curious is all. I assume you are planning to have more children eventually. Your house is already pretty cramped, and I'm sure that Luke's apartment above the diner is hardly suitable."

"Actually, yes, we have talked about it a little bit, Emily," Luke told her.

Emily pursed her lips smugly. "And what was the result of that conversation?"

"We're looking, and if we find something suitable we may consider putting in an offer. What's with the third degree, Mom?"

"What? I can't be interested in where you and your future husband are planning to live?"

"We've barely been engaged a week. We still have a wedding to plan." _And a baby to prepare for,_ she added silently.

"It's just that Kirsteen said that now is a good time to buy. A house isn't just a place to live anymore, you know."

"That's right," Richard piped in. "A home is an investment."

"Who is Kirsteen?" Lorelai asked pointedly.

"Our real estate agent, of course." Emily took another bite of her lamb chop.

"Why do you have a real estate agent? You already have a house, Grandma." Rory and Lorelai exchanged a perplexed look.

Emily set her fork down again. "It's not for _us_ Rory. We've been looking for your mother and Luke."

"What?" Lorelai and Luke exclaimed in unison.

"Well, I suspected that when you got back together in the spring that the two of you would eventually decide to get married. That house is barely suitable for you and Rory. Trying to fit three people in there would be crazy. So we've been looking casually for a while now. Richard and I had always discussed buying you house as a wedding gift if you ever managed to make it happen."

Lorelai dropped her fork with a clatter. She tried to speak but no sound came. She swung her head back and forth between her mother and father, and Luke and Rory, trying to process this strange development. Finally, she took a deep breath and the words came out in a cascade of babble. "Are you nuts? You want to buy us a house? A house for me and Luke... a house you've been looking for, for months? I thought you didn't approve of us. I thought you'd freak when we told you about our engagement and instead you want to throw us a party and buy us a house? Who are you and what have you done with my parents?"

"Honestly, Lorelai. Must you always be so dramatic? Of course we're your parents. We only want what's best for you."

"Maybe I like my own house. What if we want to stay there? Shouldn't we have a say in where we live?"

Richard interjected before Emily could speak, "Certainly you should have a say. Your mother and I are merely trying to provide you with options."

"How is buying a house for us giving us options? It seems more like an imposition to me."

Anger began to creep into Richard's voice. "Lorelai, a gift is hardly an imposition. We just thought -"

"I know what you thought. You thought that if you bought me a house you could control me. Turn me into the perfect little society wife you've always wanted me to be. Well guess what? It won't happen. _Luke_ and _I_ will decide where _we_ live. And when we do, it will be on our terms, purchased with our own money." Lorelai stood up, and pushed her chair in with a hardy shove.

"Lorelai," Richard said furiously. "You will not speak to me or your mother that way. Apologize and finish your dinner."

"I'm sorry, I've lost my appetite. I think we should go." Lorelai fled from the room.

"Lorelai!" Emily called after her. Instead of a response, she heard the front door slamming shut behind her daughter.

There was a tense and uncomfortable silence for several seconds before Luke slid his chair back, the legs scrapping against the floor. "Thank you very much for dinner, Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore. I think it's best that we get going."

Emily nodded mutely, still fuming. Rory rose and kissed each grandparent on the cheek before following Luke out of the dining room. Just as she reached the foyer, Emily called, "See you next Friday for the engagement party." Her voice was clear and emotionless, as though the events of the evening had not occurred. "Do not be late."

Rory and Luke found Lorelai pacing around the Jeep. She stopped as they approached, shrugging her shoulders sheepishly. "Sorry, I think I kind of overreacted?"

"You think?" Rory asked. "Seriously Mom, what was that all about?"

"I don't know. I just kind of freaked. It must be hormones."

Rory's eye's widened. "Hormones? Wait a sec. Are you pre-"

"Shhh." Lorelai glanced nervously at the mansion behind them. "Not here. This place has ears, I swear. Let's go get some pie and I'll tell you everything."

"Okay, but it better be boysenberry... with whipped cream."

xxxxx

Thirty minutes later, Rory sat in the arm chair at the Crap Shack, her feet tucked tightly beneath her as she dug into the largest slice of pie she had ever seen. Across from her, Lorelai was curled up against Luke, an equally huge slice of pie in her hands.

Rory savoured her first bite of boysenberry bliss, before switching to reporter mode and grilling the pair on the couch. "So are you?"

"Am I what?" Lorelai asked coyly.

"You know what." When Lorelai merely blinked at her, Rory rolled her eyes and elaborated. "You're going to make me say it, aren't you? Are you pregnant?"

Lorelai broke into a huge grin and nodded. She placed her pie on the table and rubbed her stomach. "Yes."

Rory put down her own pie and leapt from her chair, enveloping her mother and Luke in a massive hug as she squealed with glee. "I'm so happy for you both. You totally deserve this."

"Thank you, Rory." Luke shifted closer to the arm of the couch in an effort to evade flailing limbs.

Lorelai pulled her daughter down to the couch beside her, placed Rory's hand on her stomach and said, "Rory, meet Mini-Luke-to-be."

"I'm going to be your big sister," Rory whispered to her future sibling. "Hi, Luke-two."

"Oh jeez," Luke moaned. "We are not naming it after me."

"But Rory is _my_ Mini-me." Lorelai pouted. "We could have a matching set."

"Not going to happen."

"Daddy's just grumpy, I'll work on him later," Lorelai told her stomach earnestly.

 _TBC_


	11. Sonographic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Here we are at the penultimate chapter of this saga. I hope you enjoy the little surprise that's hidden here for you all. Thanks again for all of your reviews and support.
> 
> A huge hug and thank you to my bestest beta, Jewels.
> 
> None of this would be possible without your unfailing support, patience and enthusiasm. *hugs* You're the best!

**Sonographic**

The next few days were thankfully devoid of the constant engagement party phone calls from Emily Gilmore. Lorelai was even more grateful for their absence than she usually would have been. The symptoms of her pregnancy were beginning to rear their ugly heads and Lorelai was suddenly spending more time in the bathroom than any other room in the house.

Early Monday morning, Luke was once again awakened by Lorelai springing out of bed and dashing from the room. Concerned by the increased frequency of her visits to the porcelain gods, Luke padded after her and waited anxiously outside the door, just as he had every time her stomach had turned on her that weekend. Several moments later, she emerged, her skin pale and her eyes sallow.

Luke reached for her, feeling helpless as she shrugged away. "Lorelai," he choked out, "Are you sure this is normal?"

Lorelai turned back to him, trying to smile when she noticed the fear in his eyes. She went to him, the faint echo of amusement playing on her lips. "Haven't you ever heard of morning sickness before? It's common during the first months of pregnancy."

Luke sighed. "I know that. But it's happening all day long. You've barely eaten anything all weekend. You even turned down a cheeseburger... and _coffee._ That's not like you." He reached out and brushed a stray curl from her cheek. He kept his hand in place, his thumb grazing her cheek as he studied her, worry etched across his furrowed brow.

Lorelai moved in and kissed him lightly on the lips. "This is worse than what I had with Rory, but I'm sure it'll pass. Little Hector must be a pickier eater."

Luke rolled his eyes at the name. She'd been throwing out bizarre suggestions all weekend. "You sure you're okay?"

Lorelai nodded. "You worry too much." She took his hand and pulled him back toward the bedroom. "Come on, let's snuggle before it's time to get up for real."

xxxxx

By Wednesday, Lorelai's list of foods that made her want to hurl had grown large enough to be a category on _The Family Feud._ In addition to cheeseburgers and coffee, her list now included: French fries, bacon, pancakes, and waffles. The only thing she could keep down for longer than 5 minutes was the thick oatmeal that Luke had managed to convince her to try.

Luke arrived at the Dragonfly Inn early to pick her up for their first doctor's appointment. He expected to find her bustling around like usual, laughing with Sookie and mocking Michel. Instead, he found her slumped in the chair behind her desk, her chin resting on the palm of her hand.

"Lorelai?" he inquired softly, startled when she suddenly burst into tears, a torrent of words flooding from her lips.

"Oh Luke, I'm so glad you're here. Michel hates all the guests, Sookie keeps calling to change the dinner menu, I haven't had coffee since Friday, Rory has barely been home, I can't eat any of the foods that I like without doing an Exorcist impersonation and now I have to pee really badly but I can't."

Luke blinked. "Why can't you pee?" he asked stupidly.

"Because of the sonogram," she wailed, grabbing a Kleenex and blowing her nose noisily.

Luke looked around the empty room hoping to find the answer to how to deal with Lorelai's yo-yo-ing emotions. When no answer was forthcoming, he strode to her and helped her up, pulling her into his arms. She sobbed into his shoulder and Luke rubbed her back lightly as she gradually calmed down.

"I'm sorry, I'm such a mess." She grabbed another Kleenex and dabbed at her face. Then she turned back to him, smiling. "We should go," she said brightly. "We have a date to meet our baby." She tugged on his hand and led him through the lobby. "I'll be back in a bit, Michel," she called out without stopping.

xxxxx

"Are you ready to meet your baby?" Dr. Ferguson asked.

Lorelai looked lovingly at Luke, her eyes brimming with tears again as he grasped her hand tightly and returned her look of affection. She nodded, her voice breaking as she said, "We're ready."

Dr. Ferguson smiled. "This may be cold." She squeezed blue gel onto Lorelai's belly and pressed the wand of the sonogram machine to it, moving it around until she found the correct position. An image appeared on the screen and a funny swishing sound filled the room.

"That's your baby." Dr. Ferguson pointed to a tiny, grey image on the screen. "It's still too small to see more than a mass of cells, but the baby looks normal and healthy so far."

Lorelai and Luke both stared at the screen, fixated on the image of the tiny being they had created together. Luke's own eyes brimmed with tears as he leaned over and kissed Lorelai, his love for her stronger than ever.

The doctor continued to move the wand, listening closely to the heartbeat. "The sound you hear is your baby's heartbeat," she explained. Luke held his breath for a moment, captivated by the sound. Dr. Ferguson suddenly frowned and Lorlelai gripped Luke's hand more firmly.

"What's wrong?" she asked frantically.

Dr. Ferguson shook her head. "Nothing is wrong. I just thought I heard a second heart beat." She pulled her stethoscope to her ears and pressed the drum to Lorelai's stomach.

Luke and Lorelai exchanged a confused glance as they watched the doctor listen from many angles. Finally she pulled back, turned off the sonogram machine and turned to them, smiling.

The abrupt silence was deafening and Lorelai felt the need to break it immediately. "A second heartbeat? Does that mean... I mean... am I having twins?" Lorelai's eyes were wide and she felt Luke squeeze her hand again.

Dr. Ferguson's smile broadened. "Well it's very faint, so I can't be 100% certain, but I'm pretty sure I did hear a second heartbeat, and that combined with your severe morning sickness would indicated that yes, you are having twins."

"Twins?" Luke's voice sounded distant. "As in _two_ babies?" He looked at Lorelai, awe stamped across his face.

Lorelai laughed. "Two babies," she confirmed as the doctor slipped from the room. "Oh my God. I don't have enough arms! How am I going to carry, feed and change two babies? I remember being pretty frazzled with just Rory."

"Relax," Luke said softly, releasing her hand and rubbing her back. "You're not alone this time. We'll figure it out together."

"Together," Lorelai echoed smiling up at him. "Wow. Twins."

"Yeah. Wow."

xxxxx

The ride back to town was quiet as they both tried to process the news. They kept glancing at each other, beaming, and looking away. Finally, Lorelai whispered, "I've been thinking about our wedding date."

"Me too," Luke replied. "I think we should get married this summer, before the baby –" he hesitated, " _babies_ , are born."

"What do you think of having it on July 13th?" Lorelai asked softly.

Luke took a sharp breath. "You want to get married on my mother's birthday?"

Lorelai nodded. "I think it would be a nice way to acknowledge your parents... plus, it's on a Wednesday, which will drive my mother nuts. What do you think?"

Luke manoeuvred the truck up the driveway to the Dragonfly, his eyes focused on where he was going. Finally he pulled to a stop and turned to her. "I think that would be nice." He brushed his lips over hers gently. "Thank you."

Before Lorelai could respond, her phone rang and she answered it, not bothering to check the caller id. "Hello?"

"Lorelai," she heard Emily's sharp voice respond. Apparently the freeze-out was over. "The engagement party is in two days and none of your Stars Hollow friends have RSVPed. Are they coming? I need to tell the caterers the final numbers."

Lorelai sighed and mouthed _Emily_ to Luke. "Yes, they are coming, Mom. They RSVPed to me."

"Well, why would they do that? You're not the one throwing the party."

"I know, Mom. But I'm the one they know, so they told me. I was going to call you." Lorelai slid out of the truck and blew a kiss to Luke before walking to the front steps of the Dragonfly and sitting down.

"When? When were you going to call me Lorelai? When ducks fly?"

"You mean when pigs fly? 'Cause technically ducks _can_ fly. They have wings."

"Lorelai." Emily sounded exasperated.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I was going to call you today. Luke and I set our wedding date."

"You did? When? Oh, I hope it's not too late to add it to the engagement announcement."

"We decided today. Just before you called, actually."

"Well?" Emily asked impatiently.

"Well, what?"

"When are you getting married?"

"Oh, July 13th." Lorelai bit her lip the keep from laughing as she heard her mother flipping through her calendar. _Wait for it,_ she thought.

"But that's a Wednesday!"

"Yes, it is."

"But people don't get married on Wednesday's, Lorelai. They get married on the weekend."

"Luke and I aren't _people_ , Mom. And that's the day we chose. Live with it."

Emily sighed. "I have to go, there's another call for me. We'll discuss this further on Friday... that's another 'normal' wedding day."

"Oh, goody."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. Bye, Mom."

xxxxx

"I just don't understand why they have to rush this engagement," Emily said impatiently as she straightened Richard's tie for the party that night.

"They're in love, Emily. Don't you remember what it was like when we were engaged? I couldn't wait to marry you." Richard pulled his wife into his arms and kissed her tenderly.

Emily kissed him back, and nuzzled against his neck. "I couldn't wait to marry you either, Richard. But still, something seems off about this. July 13th is less than 2 months away. That's hardly enough time to plan a decent ceremony. And that's another thing. Who gets married on a Wednesday? I'll be the laughing stock of the DAR."

Richard hugged her more tightly. "My parents were married on a Thursday. I hardly think it matters. It's their day; they should plan it how they like."

"But, Richard, I'm sure that if Lorelai has her way, the wedding will be crass and unconventional. We can't let that happen."

"Don't intervene," Richard warned, "Remember what happened last time you tried that? We nearly lost our daughter for good."

Emily scoffed. "I still think a two month engagement is ridiculous. If I didn't know better I'd think they were rushing things because the fool got her pregnant..." she trailed off, the puzzle pieces in her brain clicking into place. "Wait. Maybe she _is_ pregnant."

"What?" Richard roared as memories of Lorelai's pregnancy with Rory flooded his mind.

"It makes sense. They've only been back together a short time, and now they're engaged. And Lorelai has been acting strange lately. Pregnancy hormones could account for the way she attacked me at dinner last week. I mean, seriously, all I did was tell her we wanted to give her a gift for her wedding. She didn't have to bite my head off."

"She certainly did overreact, but I don't see how that is evidence of pregnancy," Richard said reasonably as he slipped his suit jacket over his arms and buttoned it into place.

"Maybe not, but I'm going to watch them more closely. There's definitely _something_ up," Emily stated as she marched from the room.

xxxxx

The doorbell rang, and Emily peeked into the foyer, hoping to see her daughter and Luke. Instead, she saw several people from Stars Hollow: a woman with pig-tails whom she vaguely remembered was called Gypsy, a short blond woman who appeared to be with the tall gentleman wearing a top hat and sunglasses, and a heavier set woman Emily had met a few times... Patsy or something.

Emily plastered a smile to her face and walked toward her guests. "Hello there. I'm afraid Lorelai and Luke haven't arrived yet. Please come in."

"Thanks. This is a nice place you got here," the blond woman said in a loud, husky voice. "Have you met my Morey?" She gestured to the tall man.

"I don't believe I've had the pleasure." Emily held out her hand reluctantly and the man took it, shaking enthusiastically.

"Oh, Babette, look at the piano." Patty called, pointing to the room on their right. Babette and Morey wandered over to examine it, leaving Emily alone in the foyer with Gypsy.

"It's nice to see you again, Gypsy," Emily said demurely.

"Uh, yeah. Thanks for inviting me."

"There are drinks in the other room. Please help yourself," Emily offered.

"Thanks, Mrs. Gilmore." Gypsy wandered off, just as the doorbell rang and Luke and Lorelai stepped inside, followed by a lanky man in a misfitted suit and a shy, pleasant looking woman.

Luke looked thoroughly annoyed and Emily thought Lorelai looked rather tired. She added it to the mental list of evidence she was formulating and stepped forward to greet them.

"Oh good, you're here. Your other friends have already arrived," Emily whispered.

"Thank you, Mom. It's nice to see you too." The man behind Luke cleared his throat loudly, causing Luke to grimace. "Oh, Mom, this is Kirk and Lulu." Lorelai stepped aside so they could come forward.

"Thank... you... for... having... us... in... your... beautiful... home..." Kirk stammered.

"What's wrong with him? Is he having a fit?" Emily whispered to Lorelai.

Lorelai bit back another giggle. "No. I think he memorized a script. It's Kirk. He's weird like that. Just go with it."

Emily turned back to Kirk. "You're most welcome."

Kirk gestured to Lulu. "This is Lulu. She's my girlfriend," he said proudly.

"Very nice to meet you." Emily was now trying not to laugh. This man was certainly very strange.

"You too, Mrs. Gilmore. Your home is very impressive. My students would be fascinated," Lulu told her.

"Students?"

"Lulu is an elementary school teacher," Kirk answered for her, now standing abnormally close to Emily. "I got the starring role in her next play. Little Tommy Wilson didn't stand a chance."

Lulu cringed visibly. "Kirk, he has asthma."

"I still won." Kirk crossed his arms and pouted.

Emily shot Lorelai a desperate look. This man was starting to scare her.

Lorelai merely smiled, grabbed Luke's hand and wandered off in search of hors d'oeuvres, leaving Emily to suffer through several more moments of awkward conversation. Lorelai popped a stuffed mushroom cap into her mouth, relieved that her babies seemed to have decided that food was acceptable again. Luke scowled in disgust as she tried to speak with her mouth full. "Theshe are delishush."

Luke was about to respond, when a sudden commotion in the foyer drew his attention.

"Of course I was invited, you dimwit. Why would I be here if I wasn't invited? Who are you? The invitation police?" Lorelai spun around at the familiar voice and nearly choked on the remains of her mushroom cap when she saw Paris staring down a very terrified server.

"Did you know she was coming?" Luke whispered.

Lorelai shook her head, and swallowed. "Not a clue. Rory must have invited her."

Just then, Paris spotted Lorelai and walked over to them. "Oh, Lorelai, good. At least there is someone here with half a brain."

"It's nice to see you too, Paris," Lorelai replied patiently.

Paris was craning her neck, looking for someone. "Isn't Rory here yet? She told me she'd be here at 6. It's 6:10."

"I'm sure she's on her way," Lorelai assured her. She spotted Kirk and Lulu heading in their direction. "Hey, Paris. Have you met Kirk? Kirk is from Stars Hollow. Kirk, this is Paris."

Kirk held out his hand. "Pleased to meet you."

As Paris shook Kirk's hand, Lorelai grabbed Luke's arm and veered him away. They walked toward the sitting area and quickly changed direction when they spotted Aunt Totsy. After several near misses, they managed to avoid being Totsied and Lorelai sunk onto the couch while Luke wandered off in search of beverages. She looked around the room watching with an odd sense of surrealism as people from her Stars Hollow world mingled with the rich fuddy-duddies of her parent's world.

On one side of the room, Babette, Patty and Morey were chatting enthusiastically with a crowd of DAR ladies. Whatever Patty was saying must have been risqué, because they all looked scandalized. Lorelai giggled and shifted her gaze. Paris was still chatting with Kirk and Lulu. Well, really, Paris seemed to be ranting while Kirk and Lulu listened with interest. Something colourful caught her eye, and Lorelai turned her head to see Gypsy laughing as she watched Ellen, the youngest daughter of the Doner family attempt to juggle 5 balls at once. The Doner's had been friends of the Gilmore's for years, and Lorelai had always liked Ellen because she was funny and interesting.

Lorelai was startled out of her reverie by someone flopping onto the couch. She turned to see Sookie settling in beside her. "Oh good, you made it."

"Yup. Jackson and I just arrived. Our sitter cancelled at the last minute but we managed to get a hold of Jackson's mom, so we dropped them off on the way. Jackson went looking for Luke. We can't stay long though, Martha needs to be fed every 2 hours."

"I'm just glad you came," Lorelai told her honestly. "It wouldn't be the same without my best friend here."

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss your engagement party. I'm so happy for you. Oh, have you set a date yet?" Sookie practically vibrated with every word.

"Actually, we have. We decided earlier this week. July 13th."

"Isn't that his mom's birth date?" Sookie whispered.

Lorelai nodded. "Yeah."

"Awwwwww," Sookie squealed. "That is so sweet. You two are just so romantic, I can't stand it." She clapped her hands

Lorelai laughed and grabbed a shrimp puff from the server walking past. "Thanks, Sook. You've always been our strongest supporter. I was wondering, will you be my Matron of Honour?"

Sookie yelped, drawing attention from everyone else in the room. She took a deep breath and said calmly, "Of course I will."

"Thank you." Lorelai grinned and shoved the shrimp puff into her mouth. She was happily chewing when her stomach suddenly lurched. "I'll be right back," she managed to mutter to Sookie before jumping up and sprinting to the bathroom. Apparently her reprieve from morning sickness was over almost before it had begun

 _TBC_


	12. Explosive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Wow. Is it really time to post this already? It seems like just yesterday I started this story as an attempt to get over some writer's block. And now here I am posting the final chapter of part one of what is proving to be quite the epic. My sincere thanks to all of you who have been reading this labour of love faithfully each week. Your reviews and words of encouragement mean so much to me. Thank you all so much. This chapter is dedicated to all of you.
> 
> I'd also like to give a personal shout out to Alleycat86 (aka JavaJunkie86) who has become quite the cheerleader for this story. Thank you for reading and for always leaving such fabulous reviews. I look forward to your reviews each week. They never fail to make me smile.
> 
> Jewels, I promise to try not to make this too mushy but honestly that's going to be tough. Your enthusiasm and commitment to this story has got me through many a difficult moment both emotionally and creatively. I think you already know that you are far more than just a beta to me. Thank you for not running away screaming when this story turned out to be longer than either of us expected. *hugs*
> 
> I will be taking a bit of a hiatus from this tale after this chapter so that I can concentrate on a few other things for a while, but Luke, Lorelai, Emily, Rory and the yet to be named twins will be back - they're already kicking at my brain and pestering me with plot bunnies. For now, please sit back, relax and enjoy this final chapter of Secret Desires and Nameless Fears...

**Explosive**

Emily mingled among her guests, playing the good hostess as she kept an eye on her daughter and Luke. She was listening to Mr. Horn tell a lively story about his grandson when she noticed Lorelai leap from her spot on the couch and rush from the room.

Emily excused herself from the conversation and followed her daughter, frowning pensively when she saw her enter the bathroom. As she added the peculiarity to the growing list in her head, she spotted Luke talking to Sookie's husband over by the drinks table. Sookie's husband wandered toward his wife and Emily watched as Luke took a swig of his beer before picking up an empty martini glass and placing two olives in it. She was about to turn away, when she noticed Luke reaching for the club soda bottle instead of the gin or vodka. Suddenly alert, Emily crept closer, pretending to socialize with various guests as she continued to spy on him.

Her suspicions were confirmed when Luke poured club soda into the glass. He started to walk toward the couch where Lorelai had been sitting when Emily decided it was time to put an end to the nonsense. She stalked over to him, blocking his path. "Is that for Lorelai?" she demanded, pointing to the martini glass.

Luke was startled by her tone and took a step back. "Uh, yeah."

"Really? So what's she having tonight? Vodka or gin?"

"Um, gin," Luke told her hesitantly, wondering at her sudden interest in Lorelai's drink.

"Gin? Really?" Emily stepped closer, causing him to take another step backward. "Why is the gin still unopened then?" she asked, pointing to the bottle in question.

"I don't know... I just..." Luke trailed off, his brain frantically searching for an explanation. He looked around for Lorelai, hoping she would rescue him, but realized that Sookie and Jackson were sitting on the couch alone.

"What's going on Luke?" Emily was relentless as she closed in on him and he continued to back away from her. "Why did you pour club soda into my daughter's martini glass?"

 _Damn, she must have seen me,_ Luke thought silently, internally kicking himself. He tried to come up with a plausible excuse. "Lorelai said she'd drive tonight so I could drink," he said quickly.

"That's never stopped her from having a drink before. What's really going on here, Luke? Why did Lorelai freak out when I offered to buy you a house?" Luke felt his back hit the wall. He glanced around for an escape but he was in a corner. There was no way to get past Emily.

"I don't know," Luke said.

"Yes, you do. Don't you want a nice home to raise a family in? We were only trying to help. You do want to have children, don't you?" She smiled smugly as she saw Luke's cheeks redden. Yes, she was pretty certain her suppositions were accurate.

"Emily-" Luke began.

"She's pregnant, isn't she? That's why the engagement was so sudden and why you want to get married in less than two months. That's why you're pouring her club soda and why she's suddenly running for the bathroom. I'm not an idiot, Luke. The only reason you're marrying my daughter is because you knocked her up."

Luke's eyes widened at the accusation and he looked around again, desperate for a way out of this mess. Lorelai was still nowhere to be found, and everyone else was occupied with their own conversations. "I'm marrying your daughter because I love her," he stated firmly.

"So you say. I don't buy it. Now answer the question. Is she pregnant?"

Luke couldn't breathe. Seeing no alternative, he finally nodded, cringing at the thought of Lorelai's reaction when she found out.

Emily promptly backed away, a broad, satisfied smile on her face. "Thank you, Luke," she said, spinning on her heel and marching away.

xxxxx

Lorelai returned from the bathroom and froze when she spotted her mother cornering Luke by the drinks table. Frowning, she watched as her mother said something and Luke nodded. Her mother walked off a moment later with a look on her face that made Lorelai's heart drop to her stomach. Emily was definitely up to something.

Before Lorelai could go to Luke to find out what had happened, Rory burst through the front door, her eyes shining and a huge grin spread across her lips. She saw Lorelai and ran to her, hopping up and down with excitement. "Guess what? Guess what?" Rory shouted, attracting the attention of nearly every other guest in the vicinity.

"What?" Lorelai asked, momentarily forgetting about her mother and Luke.

"I got it. I got the internship!"

"Oh, sweetie, that's wonderful news." Lorelai beamed at her daughter and pulled her into a warm hug. "Congratulations."

"Is that why you're 43 minutes and 12 seconds late?" a voice behind them inquired.

"Paris. You came," Rory said without looking at her.

"Of course I came. You invited me and I had nothing else to do. Well?"

Rory sighed. "Yes, that's why I was late. They called me in for a second interview of sorts."

"Rory, that's fabulous." Emily unexpectedly joined the conversation, causing Lorelai to jump.

"Yeah. Well, it turns out they really liked me, but they liked this other guy, Jeffery too. So they called us in this evening and after a bit of discussion they decided to offer both of us the position."

"Isn't there only one internship?" Luke asked, coming to stand next to Lorelai.

"Technically, yes. And Mitchum Huntzburger wanted to keep it that way. But Stuart Wooles really wanted me there, and he talked the rest of the board into broadening the position so they could hire us both. So basically, there is still only one internship, but we're sharing it."

"Is this the guy who was wearing the orange suit?" Lorelai asked.

Rory nodded. "Yeah, his fashion sense is certainly a head scratcher. Today he was wearing puce."

"Puce?" Lorelai was incredulous.

"Who cares what he was wearing. Obviously the guy has talent if they hired him alongside Rory," Paris declared.

"I agree," Richard said, joining the crowd that had formed around his granddaughter. "You are a very talented young lady. I'm glad this Stuart fellow recognized that. Congratulations, Rory, this is quite an accomplishment."

"Thanks, Grandpa."

"I'm proud of you, Rory. Come with me to my office, I think I might have a little something for you." Richard took her arm and led her from the room as the crowd dispersed and people flittered back to their own conversations.

"Oh, Grandpa, you shouldn't have," Lorelai heard Rory say as she disappeared from sight.

Richard's response was muted as they walked further away. "Of course I should, your accomplishments deserve proper recognition."

Luke was relieved when Emily was lured away by some of her DAR friends. Once he was certain that no one else was around, he leaned down and spoke softly into Lorelai's ear. "She knows," he said plainly.

Lorelai spun around to face him, her face scrunched up in confusion. "Huh? Who knows what?"

"Your mother," Luke hissed. "She knows about the baby."

"What?" Lorelai's eyes widened in panic. "How do you know that she knows?"

Luke looked down at the floor, shuffling his feet and muttered, "I sorta told her."

Lorelai gaped at him. "Bu... wha... hu... yo..." she said nonsensically, trying to process this new information. Finally, she took a deep breath and dug her fingers into his arm. She glanced around the room, searching for a place with a bit of privacy and finally settled on the bathroom. She dragged him past a string of startled party guests and shoved him into the room, closing the door firmly behind them. "You told my mother? How could you?" she spat.

"Lorelai, I-"

"No. You don't get to speak yet, I'm not done." Lorelai began to pace, her anger rising with each step. "You _knew_ I didn't want my parents to know about this yet. You knew and still you told her? How could you, Luke? How could you betray me like that?" Tears had sprung to her eyes and she wiped at them furiously.

Luke placed his hand on her shoulder and she stilled, glaring at him intently. "Lorelai, listen to me for a second. I didn't have a choice. She cornered me with her endless suspicions. All I did was confirm what she had already figured out on her own."

"Of course you had a choice, Luke. Never tell Emily Gilmore the truth, it always comes back to bite you." She stepped away from him, crossing her arms.

"Lorelai, I'm sorry. She saw me pouring club soda into your glass and she must have filled in the blanks." Luke rubbed his temples, wincing as the throbbing in his head increased.

Lorelai's face softened slightly, remembering how she'd seen her mother talking to Luke earlier. She was about to speak when there was a knock at the door. "Lorelai? Are you in there? It's Sookie. Jackson's mother called, we have to go." Without saying a word, Lorelai breezed past Luke and left the room, leaving him alone in the overly fancy bathroom.

Lorelai bid her friend farewell and stood indecisively outside the bathroom, debating whether she should go back in to smooth things over with Luke. The decision was taken out of her hands when Emily swooped in. "We need to talk," she hissed.

"But, Mom-"

"Now, Lorelai." Emily put her hand on Lorelai's shoulder and shoved her toward the stairs. "Upstairs," she murmured insistently, "And don't make a scene."

"Me? You're the one pushing." Lorelai stumbled as her mother propelled her up the stairs.

Once they were safely out of earshot Emily let go. "How could you, Lorelai?"

Lorelai frowned. "How could I what, Mom?"

"How could you do this to us again? After everything we've been through. How could you?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Of course you do. How could you be so thoughtless? It's bad enough we had to go through all of this when you were 16, but now? Do you have any idea what kind of scandal this will cause?" Emily glared at her daughter.

"Oh my God. This is about the pregnancy?" Lorelai turned away from her mother. "You're insane."

" _I'm_ insane? You're the one getting married just because you were stupid enough to get pregnant with that red neck diner owner of yours."

Lorelai spun around, her face flushing with rage. "What? You have got to be kidding me, Mom. This is exactly why I didn't want you to know. I'm marrying Luke because I _love_ him."

Emily snorted. "You love him? Come on, Lorelai, your history isn't exactly exemplary when it comes to men. Admit it, the only reason you are marrying that oaf is because he impregnated you."

"Mom, how dare you speak about Luke that way? I am marrying Luke because we are in love and we want to spend the rest of our lives together, and YES have more children. Besides, even if we were getting married because of the baby, I'd think you'd be happy about it. Isn't that what you and dad wanted me to do years ago?"

"Yes, but that was with Christopher. He came from a good family. You could have had a good life together. What does Luke know about raising a child and taking care of a wife? He's not good enough for you."

"Not good enough for me?" Lorelai was livid. "Not good enough for me? No one has _ever_ loved me the way Luke does. Luke has been a better father to Rory than Christopher will ever be. Luke was taking care of us long before we were together. Luke is the only one who will _ever_ be good enough for me."

Emily stiffened, realizing that perhaps she'd gone too far. "Lorelai-" she began, but Lorelai cut her off.

"I knew it. I knew you weren't happy about our engagement. All of this; the party, Friday Night Dinner, the house, it was all an act. You were just pretending to be happy for me, weren't you?" Tears were rolling down Lorelai's face as she screamed at her mother. "You were just waiting for an excuse to ruin this for me. I'm finally happy, happier than I've ever been in my life, and instead of accepting that, you practically assault my fiancée and force him to reveal news that I wanted to tell you myself... when I was ready. Why can't you just be happy for me, Mom? Why are you _never_ happy for me?"

Emily cringed at her daughter's words. "If you're so happy, why did I see you drag him off to the bathroom in a huff?"

"You know why." Lorelai stared at her mother for a moment, something suddenly clicking in her brain. "You did it on purpose, didn't you? You knew that if you forced Luke to tell you the news, I'd get mad at him. What were you trying to do, Mom? Break us up again?"

"What's all this?" Richard came around the corner, a frown on his face as he watched his wife and his daughter screaming at each other. When neither one answered, he addressed his wife, "Emily? Is what Lorelai said true? We're you trying to break them up? I thought I told you not to meddle."

Emily scowled at her husband. "I didn't. I merely questioned the man and he confirmed what I had already deduced. Our daughter is pregnant. Again."

Richard raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Lorelai?"

Lorelai approached her father cautiously and nodded. "It's true, Daddy. Luke and I are going to have a baby. Two, actually." Richard's eyes remained fixed on his daughter's, a small smile playing against the corners of his lips.

Emily gasped. "You're having twins?"

Ignoring her mother, Lorelai closed the distance between herself and her father. "You're going to have two new grandchildren to golf with in about six and a half months."

Richard broke into a genuine grin and he impulsively pulled his daughter into an awkward hug. Lorelai stiffened slightly, not quite sure how to react. It was rare for her father to express himself so openly. When he released her, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him lightly on the cheek before stepping away shyly.

Emily interrupted their tentative bonding moment by grasping Richard's arm. "Don't you see what this means?" she insisted.

"It means that our family is growing," Richard said plainly.

"But -"

"No, Emily. You will stop this now. Can't you see that our daughter is happy?" He turned back to Lorelai, whose tears were now streaked across her cheeks. "Luke was looking for you. You should go find him."

Lorelai glanced from her mother to her father and nodded before twirling around and racing down the stairs.

xxxxx

Rory excused herself from her conversation with Paris when she saw her mother come tearing down the stairs. She met her at the bottom and whispered curiously, "What's going on?"

"Grandma knows about the babies," Lorelai whispered back distractedly, looking around for Luke.

"She does? How? Wait... did you say _babies_?" Rory did a double take and stared at her mother, open mouthed.

Lorelai smiled, despite the inner turmoil she was still experiencing from her argument with Luke and her fight with Emily. "Yes, I did. The doctor seems to think we're having twins."

Rory squealed and tried to hug Lorelai while bouncing up and down. "Wow. So have you thought of names yet?"

Rory's excitement was contagious and Lorelai found herself relaxing a little. "Of course, names are my thing."

"I know. So hit me with them. What have you come up with so far?"

"Donny and Marie, Thelma and Louise, Lois and Clark..." Lorelai trailed off as she spotted Luke across the room, trying to extract himself from Patty and Babette.

Rory laughed. "Interesting selections. What does Luke think of them?"

"Huh?" Lorelai pried her eyes away from her fiancée and tried to focus on her daughter. "He obviously doesn't get any of the references. Actually, Donny and Marie he got, and vetoed."

"Typical." Rory eyed her mom for a moment before changing the subject. "Hey, Mom? Before she left, Sookie said you asked her to be her Matron of Honour... I thought I was your Maid of Honour," she added softly.

"Oh, sweets, you are." Lorelai gave her daughter a reassuring hug. "I want both of you up there with me and I couldn't pick between you, so you both get the title. It was either that, or name you my best man, but dad already did that and copying him would be so cliché. You did look mighty fine in that suit though..." She searched Rory's face for a clue to what she was thinking. "Is that okay? I should have checked with you first."

"Of course it's okay, Mom. I just wanted to make sure. I still get to help with all the planning, right?"

"Definitely. I couldn't manage without you and your mad list making skills." Lorelai noticed Luke walking toward them. "We'll start finalizing plans this weekend, how does that sound?"

"Perfect. I can't wait, Mom. You're going to be a beautiful bride." Rory beamed at her mother as Luke joined them.

"Hi," he said shyly.

"Hi," Lorelai replied.

"Hi, Luke," Rory added brightly.

"Hi, Rory. Congratulations on the job thing. That's great news."

"Thanks. Well, I should get back to Paris, she gets crazier than normal if she's left alone too long in awkward social situations. See you at home." Rory shot her mother one last glance and took off toward Paris, leaving her mother and Luke alone.

"You disappeared," Luke said softly.

"My mother dragged me off for a _chat_." Lorelai gestured toward the stairs. "Sooo much fun." She rolled her eyes.

"That good, huh?" Luke said lightly.

"World War III would be preferable." Lorelai sighed audibly. "Can we go home?

"I thought you'd never ask."

xxxxx

Ten minutes later they stepped into the cool night air, having said their goodbyes and thanks you's and gathered their jackets. They walked to the truck in silence, Emily's words replaying in Lorelai's head over and over again.

Lorelai studied Luke as they settled into the truck and he started to drive. His jaw was tense as he focused on the road and she knew that he was worrying about their fight. A part of her wanted to apologize to him, but the part that was still angry with him and her mother was winning the battle.

As they neared Stars Hollow, Luke finally broke the silence, his voice faint and tentative. "Tell me what your mother said."

Lorelai cringed, the hurt evoked from her mother's words still raw as she slowly filled him in on Emily's accusations and insinuations. "It just hurts, you know? No matter what I do, it's never good enough, she's never happy for me," she cried as they pulled into the driveway of the Crap Shack.

Luke parked and climbed out of the truck, coming around to her side to open the door. As soon as she was out of the vehicle he reached for her and enveloped her into his arms. "I'm sorry," he said simply.

Lorelai leaned away from him for a minute. "I'm still mad at you," she told him.

"I know," Luke said patiently, cradling her head as she rested it against his shoulder. She cried silent tears, while Luke rubbed her back.

Finally, she sniffed, dried her eyes and took his hand. They were climbing the stairs before she spoke again. "She's wrong you know."

"Is she?" Luke held the front door open for her and waited for her to continue.

Lorelai pulled him into the house and held both of his hands in hers. She stared at them for a moment before elaborating. "I'm marrying you because I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life loving you. I want to raise our children in that love and I want to grow old with you." She looked up at him, more tears spilling from her eyes. "You're the one, Luke Danes."

At her words, Luke kicked the door closed and pulled her into his arms again. He captured her lips in a kiss filled with emotion and passion. Lorelai wound her arms around his neck, returning his kiss with a fire of her own. Luke backed her against the wall in the foyer, planting a trail of hot, wet kisses along her jaw. He paused for a moment, smiling as he gazed into her eyes. "I wouldn't have it any other way. I love you, Lorelai Gilmore." With that, he continued kissing her and proceeded to show her just how much.

 _FIN_


End file.
